Medical and Biological Physics: The Foundation of Modern Medicine

Student: Arabboyeva Saidaxon Dilshodbek qizi

Kokand University Andijan branch  

Faculty of Medicine and Stomatology

1^st year student, Group 25_03

Phone number: +998 88 614 20 07

E-mail: saidakhonar@gmail.com

Abstract

This article discusses the importance of medical and biological physics in modern healthcare, emphasizing its role in diagnostics, therapy, and preventive medicine. It highlights how physical principles underlie many medical technologies and treatments, from imaging and radiation therapy to biomedical engineering. Understanding medical and biological physics helps healthcare professionals detect diseases early, enhance treatment effectiveness, and apply advanced technologies more efficiently.

Keywords: medical physics, biological physics, diagnostics, imaging, radiation, healthcare technology

Introduction

In recent decades, medicine has evolved rapidly through the integration of physical sciences. Medical and biological physics study the physical processes within living systems and their applications in diagnosis and treatment. Technologies such as X-ray imaging, ultrasound, laser therapy, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are all based on fundamental principles of physics.

Medical physics enables physicians to visualize internal organs non-invasively, measure physiological parameters accurately, and develop safer, more effective therapies. Therefore, physics forms the scientific foundation of modern medicine, bridging the gap between theory and clinical practice.

Methods

This article was developed using analytical and comparative methods to explore the relationship between physics and medicine.

Literature Review: Recent national and international scientific studies on medical and biological physics were analyzed.

Comparative Analysis: The efficiency of modern diagnostic techniques (MRI, X-ray, ultrasound) was compared based on physical mechanisms.

Systematic Approach: The connections between physical laws and physiological processes were examined, emphasizing their impact on diagnostics, treatment, and innovation.

The study utilized academic publications from 2019–2024, WHO reports, and materials from the European Society of Radiology.

Results

The findings reveal that medical and biological physics play a central role in every branch of modern medicine.

Radiology applies electromagnetic radiation for imaging bones and tissues.

Ultrasound diagnostics use sound waves to visualize soft tissues safely.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) employs magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed anatomical images.

Laser therapy accelerates tissue repair and reduces pain.

These technologies demonstrate how physics enables accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and continuous improvement in healthcare quality.

Discussion

Medical physics has become a key factor in the modernization of healthcare. Artificial intelligence combined with physical diagnostic tools — such as automated image analysis in MRI or CT scans — represents a major step toward precision medicine.

Furthermore, medical physicists ensure radiation safety, equipment calibration, and quality assurance in hospitals. Meanwhile, biological physics investigates processes such as ion exchange in cell membranes, blood flow hydrodynamics, and bioelectrical activity in the nervous system. Understanding these mechanisms supports the development of new pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

The integration of physics into medicine not only improves clinical outcomes but also fosters innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration between engineers, doctors, and researchers.

Conclusion

Medical and biological physics are the cornerstones of modern medicine. They provide the theoretical and practical basis for diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases using scientific precision. By mastering the laws of physics, healthcare professionals can utilize advanced technologies effectively and safely, enhancing both patient outcomes and the overall quality of care. Thus, including medical physics in medical education remains an essential component of training future physicians and researchers.

References

1.  Karimov A. Fundamentals of Medical Physics, Tashkent, 2021.

2.  Rasulov N. The Role of Biological Physics in Medicine, Uzbek Medical Journal, 2020.

3.  Hall E. Radiobiology for the Radiologist. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2019.

4.  Bushberg J.T. The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging. Wolters Kluwer, 2021.

5.  World Health Organization (WHO). Medical Physics in Health Care, 2022.

6.  European Society of Radiology Report, 2023.

7.  Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Annual Health Report, 2024.

8.  Khan M. Modern Approaches in Biomedical Physics. Springer, 2022.

First of all, published poet and contributor Tao Yucheng is still hosting a poetry contest, open to all readers of Synchronized Chaos Magazine.

Synchronized Chaos Poetry Contest: We seek short, powerful, imaginative, and strange poetry. While we welcome all forms of free verse and subject matter, we prefer concise work that makes an impact.

Guidelines: Submit up to five poems per person to taoyucheng921129@proton.me. Each poem should not exceed one page (ideally half a page or less). All styles and themes welcome. Deadline for submissions will be in early March.

Prizes: First Place: $50 Second Place: $10, payable via online transfer. One Honorable Mention. Selected finalists will be published in Synchronized Chaos Magazine.

Next, poet Yucheng Tao’s new chapbook, The Mirror Image of Death, has just been released from Alien Buddha Press! People can order it here.

J.J. Campbell’s new book To Live Your Dreams is also out and available to order here.

Welcome to this month’s issue, Paying Attention.

Across poetry, fiction, essays, memoir, and scholarship, this issue asks what it means to live attentively: to create honestly, remember faithfully, love fully, and choose responsibility in an impermanent world.

Jacques Fleury honors the many contributions of Black Americans to society and argues that the United States still needs to celebrate Black History Month due to their lack of knowledge of essential history and context.

Sayani Mukherjee presents spring as both gentle and haunting, reminding us that loss and regrowth are both intimate parts of our experience. Berdirahmonova Shahlo Sherzod qizi expresses poignant longing for the return of joy and love in the spring. O’giloy Kucharova celebrates the social and natural renewal of spring as Christina Chin’s haikus evoke winter’s precarity and solitude. Brian Barbeito’s work dissolves boundaries and outlines in the dark of night and the way the rain falls everywhere, inspiring an open, receptive state of mind. His next piece evokes a chilly and aesthetically under-defined winter day.

Ma Yongbo’s wintry and tough-minded poetic cycle poses the question of what it means to keep creating when permanence and perfection may be impossible. Lan Xin’s pieces honor restraint, the diversity of life, and working with the natural rhythm of life’s seasons. Mykyta Ryzhykh calls attention to how both death and rebirth in nature bring us out of our ponderings and back to the present moment. Sterling Warner draws upon fresh and salt water and psychological and physical weather Linette Rabsatt’s poems take joy in letting go of the conscious mind and listening to the natural world as a source of inspiration. Joseph Ogbonna meditates on the stillness and inspiration of an early dawn. Gezim Basha, in work translated by Marjeta Rrapaj, celebrates tender love and living an authentic life. Yo’ldosheva Zinnura writes of the need to care for and consider our impact on the environment and climate.

Mehreen Ahmed’s work explores art, creativity, complicity, and displacement. Alan Catlin’s ekphrastic poetry crafts scenes of still life interrupted by violence and chaos. Bill Tope’s short story critiques immigration enforcement violence in the United States through the terror of one wrongly targeted victim. Kelly Moyer’s absurdist, provocative video speaks to the same topic as Leticia Garcia Bradford offers a local perspective and Pat Doyne brings strident satire to the issues of the day. Umid Najjari offers a poetic tribute to those who lost their lives in the Iranian revolution. Sungrue Han’s poems evoke alienation, dislocation, and collective and individual trauma. Mahbub Alam decries human greed and the destruction of other humans and the natural world and encourages care and respect. Virginia Aronson draws attention to modern crimes committed by government agents and by international criminal gangs, suggesting a comparison.

J.J. Campbell brings his signature blend of hard-earned cynicism and exhaustion. Scott C. Holstad snatches bits of sweetness and color from complex and artificial modern life. Türkan Ergör reminds us of our mortality and vulnerability to various human struggles. Like a wanderer tiptoeing through dimly lit rooms in a house, Carl Scharwath’s poetry moves from loss to relief to conscious acceptance of stillness. Allison Grayhurst’s poetic cycle sheds, releases, and re-forms visceral emotions. Dr. Prasanna Kumar Dalai’s work carries the quiet dignity of someone who feels deeply but speaks carefully.

Mesfakus Salahin’s work addresses the alchemical transformation of formless feeling into legible thought through poetry. Shakespeare Okuni’s poem highlights the role of ritual and performance in meaning-making. Alex Johnson sets out a manifesto for artistic openness and an aesthetic that welcomes diverse sources of inspiration. Stephen Jarrell Williams evokes life, innocence, joy, and energy in his restrained pieces. Rus Khomutoff’s piece is at once overabundant, technical, and tender, perhaps more intended to be entered into than understood.

Abbas Yusuf Alhassan’s ars poetica explores the various forms poetry takes in his mind and how inspiration hits him as an artist. Duane Vorhees probes desire, time, chance, and memory. Nurbek Norchayev meditates on nature, time, and the life of the soul. Michael Robinson’s essay is a lived testimony of fear, darkness, illness, strength, forgiveness, and survival. Maja Milojkovic speaks of her personal spirituality and closeness to God. Sarah Adeyemo also reaches for her faith for comfort and the strength to keep loving even through a time of desperation and grief. Patrick Sweeney’s one or two-line thoughts provoke head-scratching and evade easy answers. Texas Fontanella jumbles a variety of words and symbols into a static buzz. Grzegorz Wroblewski’s asemic pieces reflect a mind in motion, jumping and self-editing mid-thought from one idea to another.

Susie Gharib navigates the emotional landscape of power, voice, myth, and lived reality. Mark Young contributes a fresh set of altered technicolor Australian landscapes. Cristina Deptula observes and comments on Dianne Reeves Angel’s memoir of a creative life in film production, Every Restaurant Tells a Story. Federico Wardal celebrates the film legacy of Italian filmmaker Billy Wilder. Taylor Dibbert enjoys traveling despite occasional moments of personal embarrassment. Xo’jyozova Dildora looks to ecotourism as a way to sustainably strengthen local economies.

For travel in a more metaphorical sense, Abdugafforova Muslimaxon Akmalovna reviews Qobilon Shermatov’s fantastical children’s tale The Country Inside My Grandfather’s Stomach. This book addresses issues of personal character, as each person’s “interior” reflects who they are and how they behave.

Other authors look at individual and collective character and moral choice. Eva Petropoulou Lianou’s poems express her hopes for peace, understanding, compassion, and humanity. Gordana Saric echoes that hope, wishing for worldwide love, understanding, and reconciliation. Maftuna Sultonova reminds us of the infinite value and dignity of each person. Nigora Baxtiyorova analyzes infidelity as a theme in Uzbek literature. Xasanova Aziza Kumushbek qizi peers into even more Uzbek literature and finds a timeless warning about how one’s life and dignity matter even more than one’s reputation and fame. Journalist Elisa Mascia interviews Azerbaijani author Jakhongir Nomozov and he affirms the need for authors to master their craft and speak their truth regardless of passing fads or popularity. Solid work will stand the test of time.

Dr. Jernail S. Anand suggests that a complete education not only teaches technical skills but also how to be a decent human being. Kodirova Shakhzoda highlights the cultural importance of Uzbekistan’s cultural values of compassion, courtesy, respect for nature, and courage.

Dr. Barbaros İrdelmen mourns love lost to human and societal pettiness, and to death. Bill Tope and Doug Hawley co-present a tale of loss, guilt, and redemption. Mehrinoz Tursunova’s bittersweet love poem prepares for an impending separation. Eshmatova Marjona Kamol qizi outlines ways social service systems can intervene to support children from dysfunctional families. Nurboboyeva Dilshoda Nodir qizi evaluates the psychological effects of divorce on children and suggests ways to help them through the transition.

Dildoraxon Turg’unboyeva reflects on childhood memories and her love for her departed grandfather. Gulsevar Mirzamahmudova honors her hardworking migrant laborer father for his care and determination, reflecting on how she misses him.

Malohat Ahmadjonova expresses love and gratitude for the hard work and dedication of her parents, who made sure she dressed well and received an education. Mashrabxo’jayeva Feruzakhon offers gratitude for the steady love and care of her parents. Nurullayeva Nigora Nurmurod qizi’s poem expresses her love and care for her mother, who has given her so much. Ismoilova Sarvinoz reflects on how much her parents have loved her over time and how she wishes to return the favor as they age. Shafkat Aziz Hajam fondly remembers the freedom and wonder of childhood, made possible by his caring parents.

Islamova Dilnoza Khamidovna gives thanks for a caring and steady friend as Rukhshona Khamzayeva shares her gratitude for a dedicated teacher. Zarifaxon Holiboyeva reflects on missing her family and her classmates in a young student’s piece full of tender affection. Toshpulatova Mehribonu Sherbek qizi rejoices in the love of her sweet sister. Alisherova Hurmatoy reflects on the power of her lover’s kind words to calm her spirit. Graciela Noemi Villaverde draws on elegant nature-inspired imagery to express her love. Chinese academic Bai Gengsheng pays tribute to his loyal and hardworking wife, acknowledging that her steady support over many years made his accomplishments possible.

Aziza Xasanova compares waiting for the unfolding of love to allowing a fig tree to leaf out in its season. Lan Xin’s epic, mytho-romantic piece affirms the choice of embodied and temporal love over transcendence and divinity.

Ozodbek Narzullayev’s verse expresses adoration for his country as if it were his lover. Jahongirova Gulhayo Jahongirovna’s rhyming poem pays tribute to a man of deep loyalty, patriotism and integrity. Abduganiyev Shexrozbek discusses the inter-related nature of the Uzbek national concept, legal system, and spiritual values in shaping the culture.

Kudratova Nozima Bahromovna explores the narrative style of Uzbek writer To’gay Murod. Madina Jorayeva’s essay highlights the contributions of translator and critic Ozod Sharafiddinov to Uzbek and world heritage and literature. Shahnoza Ochildiyeva translates Ozod Sharafiddinov’s essay celebrating and analyzing the literary value of poet and translator Abdulhamid Sulaymon og‘li Cho‘lpon’s contributions to Uzbek literature. Nargiza Masharipova celebrates the cultural interchanges made possible by the migration of the world’s peoples. Sultonaliyeva Go’zaloy outlines some of the factors encouraging and driving migration. Ubaydullayeva Saodat celebrates the literary artistry and truth-telling of one of Uzbekistan’s greatest poets, Alexander Feinberg. Xayrullayeva Zahro suggests ways to preserve the high literary quality of the Uzbek language and not lose it to abbreviations and modernisms. Rizoqulova Parvina Ramzovna analyzes the relation between language and culture.

Munavvar Tlewbaeva speaks of the comfort she finds by reading books by authors who understand and write of her feelings. Odinaxon Qodirova highlights ways to encourage young people to read. Yusupboyeva Madina rejoices in the persistence of reading culture among young people. Turgunova Kh. suggests strategies for teachers to effectively communicate with young Generation Z students.

Karimova Navbaxar Mahmudjanovna suggests strategies for encouraging creative thinking in children. Jorabek Muhammadolimov raises awareness of how too much scrolling and flipping online can lead to difficulty concentrating. Choriyeva Oynur warns of the consequences of overuse of smartphones and the Internet. Roziboyeva Asilakhon speaks against digital surveillance and fear-driven self-censorship.

Isroilova Sarvinoz Maxmud qizi discusses how to use educational tools to teach young children mathematical concepts. Barnoxon Baxtiyorjon Yoqubova considers strategies for integrating physical play with learning arithmetic. Amirqulova Gulsevar discusses digital innovations in education. Daminova Sevinch Tuychi qizi highlights the enlightened wisdom and teaching of Uzbek children’s educator Abdulla Avloni. Lazokat Ortigaliyevna Pirmatova relates how participating in competitive mental arithmetic helped her to develop confidence and the ability to think on her feet.

Nilufar Ibroximova suggests how new Uzbek textbooks could be crafted and used to help young children develop critical thinking. Norquolova Madina highlights the value of learning a second language. Haydarova Mehribon outlines various methods for learning the Mandarin Chinese language, coupled with history and background of the tongue. Mansurova Shahnoza parses the finer points of verb conjugation in French as Xurramova Farangiz compares the process in French and Uzbek. Masharipova Sayyora compares proverbs in French and Uzbek and how they reveal cultural values. Nilufar Mo’ydinova outlines techniques for learning German through approaches from the field of translation. Najmiddinova Mekhrigul Najmiddin qizi delves into the intricacies of language translation. Abdurahimova Anora’s essay considers the impact of one’s first language on the process of learning a second language. Mengboyeva Baxtiniso Mamatqobilovna highlights the value of language teachers’ maintaining a culture of competence in spoken language.

Several contributors work and research in the language of other academic and professional disciplines. Lutfullayeva Shaxrizoda Faruxjon qizi outlines the current state of pneumonia diagnosis and treatment in young children. Mansurov Abdulaziz Abdullox ugli highlights the importance of preventive dental care in children. Fahriddin Akramov’s essay describes treatment for a variety of neurological conditions. Mamatqulova Mukarram Nuriddin qizi speaks to the life and academic stresses students endure and how to protect their mental health. Nasulloyeva Feruzabonu Akmalovna discusses the nature of scientific innovation and how to encourage it in Central Asia. Durdona Sharifovna Roziboyeva discusses the effects of the Herbst dental appliance on the upper airway.

Eshmurodova Sevinch explicates methods of improving deposit mobilization policies in commercial banks. Iroda Sobirova outlines basic principles of supply and demand in a market economy. Sobirova Iroda Abdulaziz qizi highlights strategies to foster innovative entrepreneurship. Mamadaliyeva O’giloy asserts her power and determination to become successful in academics and business.

Baxshilloyeva Nigina Bahodir qizi offers inspiration to young women seeking to live their dreams. Axmetova Dilnura Po’lat qizi outlines the historical and contemporary role of women in Central Asian societies. Sevinch Farxodova highlights the importance of gender equality and initiatives to that extent in Uzbekistan.

Shahnoza Pulatova Makhmudjanovna outlines and describes how Uzbek society is modernizing politically, economically, and socially. Dilafruz Muhammadjonova expresses fervent pride in and hope for Uzbekistan and the desire for the nation’s youth to rise up and take their place. Priyanka Neogi outlines ways to overcome depression and apathy and keep working towards one’s goals. Ziyoda Murodilova highlights the importance of internal motivation and determination for students to achieve their goals. https://synchchaos.com/essay-from-orzigul-sherova-4/Orzigul Sherova presents, in a similar vein, her secrets to success through passion and hard work.

We hope that this issue inspires you to create your place in the world with intention and joy.

My Migrant Father

Though labor weighs him down with strain,

He says, “If it is honest, that’s my gain.”

He lives afar, a migrant far from home,

To build our house, through foreign lands to roam.

When thoughts of family fill his mind,

Longing grips his heart, so cruel, unkind.

Like pearls, his tears fall from his eyes,

Adorning sorrow no one ever spies.

“Daddy, when will you return?” they pray,

His children wait and hope each day.

Too late they learn his worth so true,

Their hearts now ache with deep regret anew.

Your sweetest tea has lost its taste,

Your earned-up money feels like waste.

This splendid house, so rich, so grand,

Without a father—no builder’s hand.

Gulsevar Mirzamahmudova was born on May 12, 2009, in Eskiarab village, Oltiariq District of Fergana Region. She is currently an 11th-grade student of Class 11B at General Secondary School No. 23. She is a holder of the National Certificate in Uzbek Language and Literature.

The trust of my parents has given me strength.

My father is the most precious person in my life, a man whose value is as high as the sky itself. He is such a father that if I asked him for a single star from the sky, he would prepare the moon for me instead. Until this very age, he has always been my support — encouraging my education in every possible way, working tirelessly day and night for my sake. He has always told me, “My daughter, I have great hopes for you,” and has stood by my side, shoulder to shoulder, in every step I take. My father is my greatest pillar of strength, and when I try to describe him, tears come to my eyes.

Mashrabxoʻjayeva Feruzaxon was born on March 7, 2005, in Chimyon village, Fergana District, Fergana Region. She is currently a second-year student at Fergana State University.

For those killed in the Iranian Revolution

*

For which war do my hairs don a white shroud?

Do the soldiers who cry out love still live?!

There is silence at the front.

My teeth ache as they raise the white flag,

The homeland aches,

Humanity weeps.

The lines that fall upon my brow—

the barbed wires of which country are they?

They separate love from separation,

They separate hope from death,

They separate the days,

They separate the nights…

At twilight, someone wipes the sweat from my forehead,

Someone sings the Song of Freedom in Saat Square,

Someone, in intensive care, is still breathing,

There is silence at the front…

Silence…

*

Per quale guerra i miei capelli indossano il sudario bianco?

Vivono ancora i soldati che gridano l’amore?!

C’è silenzio al fronte.

Mi dolgono i denti che innalzano la bandiera bianca,

Dà dolore la Patria,

Piange l’Uomo.

Le linee che solcano la mia fronte

sono i fili spinati di quale paese?

Separano l’amore dalla separazione,

Separano la speranza dalla morte,

Separano i giorni,

Separano le notti…

Nel crepuscolo qualcuno asciuga il sudore dalla mia fronte,

Qualcuno canta il Canto della Libertà in Piazza Saat,

Qualcuno, in rianimazione, respira ancora,

C’è silenzio al fronte…

Silenzio…

*

Voor welke oorlog dragen mijn haren een wit lijkkleed? Leven de soldaten die de liefde uitschreeuwen nog?! Er heerst stilte aan het front. Mijn tanden doen pijn terwijl zij de witte vlag hijsen, Het vaderland lijdt, De mens huilt. De lijnen die over mijn voorhoofd vallen — van welk land zijn dit de prikkeldraden? Zij scheiden liefde van afscheid, Zij scheiden hoop van de dood, Zij scheiden de dagen, Zij scheiden de nachten… In de schemering wist iemand het zweet van mijn voorhoofd, Iemand zingt het Lied van de Vrijheid op het Saat-plein, Iemand ademt nog steeds op de intensive care, Er heerst stilte aan het front… Stilte…

*


Pour quelle guerre mes cheveux revêtent-ils un linceul blanc ?

Les soldats qui crient l’amour vivent-ils encore ?!


Le silence règne au front.

Mes dents me font mal en levant le drapeau blanc,

La Patrie souffre,

L’Homme pleure.


Les lignes qui tombent sur mon front —

les fils barbelés de quel pays sont-elles ?

Elles séparent l’amour de la séparation,

Elles séparent l’espoir de la mort,

Elles séparent les jours,

Elles séparent les nuits…


Au crépuscule, quelqu’un essuie la sueur de mon front,

Quelqu’un chante le Chant de la Liberté sur la Place Saat,

Quelqu’un, en réanimation, respire encore,

Le silence règne au front…

Le silence…

Umid Najjari was born on 15th of April 1989 in Tabriz (Iran). After graduating from Islamic Azad University of Tabriz in 2016, he entered Baku Aurasia University to continue his studies in Philology in Republic of Azerbaijan. “The land of the birds” and “Beyond the walls” are among his published works in addition to some translations. His poems have been published in USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, India, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Chile and Iranian media. He was awarded the International LIFFT festival diploma in 2019. He achieved “IWA Bogdani” Award in 2021. He was awarded the “Mihai Eminescu” Award in 2022. He was awarded the International Prize “Medal Alexandre The Great” in 2022. He is Vice-President of the BOGDANI international writers’ association, with headquarters in Brussels and Pristina. and Turkic World Young Authors Association.

Head bowed

The numbing curse

of resentment comes

to capture me

in its lumpy maggot-riddled

corpse, putting on my back

a burden I am aware of

I cannot keep.

And even though I wash and scrub,

daily cleansing myself of its

putrid stench, it returns, living,

climbing my shoulders into my hair.

I know the only clear path is forgiveness,

no matter my so-called-righteous-heart

cawing for justice. I know I will never

find peace this way, nor mercy

unless I can give it.

I am the one who need forgiveness

for allowing this monstrosity to suckle on

my spirit for so long.

I thought I was past it.

I thought I truly became a citizen,

sealing my covenant.

But it is here again,

raging like before, expecting

vindication.

I hope it is a ghost of its first-self,

still large but flimsy, visible

but lacking all density.

I pray I can overcome its devouring song

and show the love to others

that I myself have been given.

Open here, casting off

its angry cries,

its barbarian anguish

blocking my own way forward

into saving deliverance.

This Place

From a place of trust

I glimpse your magnificence,

your harnessed race of complexities

in harmony, slow moving, more

powerful than a hundred suns

conjoining.

From a place of faith,

being wrong is just as exciting

as being right – a longing to know

you, knowing I will never know you

only know the minute aspects that flip

and twist and rewrite as my knowledge grows,

while keeping some laws fundamental.

From a place of love,

your love is gathering in

bright awe-inspiring displays,

terrifying in their brilliance and

in their magnitude.

Nothing is personal. Everything is individual,

overreaching galaxies into galaxies,

twin dreams.

From a place of exploration,

finding inspiration

where paradox consumes,

invigorates, illuminates

all places, gloriously shifting.

Surrendered

In the middle –

steady, harsh waves,

salty flavoured ocean,

stranded, treading.

Love comes smiling.

It is a ghost.

Joy comes and passes by.

Purpose comes but floats by

like a jellyfish riding the momentum.

In the middle, tired of treading,

no escape, just the ebb and flow, surging,

retreating waters. What lies beneath makes

no difference because nothing is above

except the burning brutal sun, cloud cover

occasionally, and only air to eat.

Skin cells, bloating. Eyes, unable to keep

open. In the middle

of an endless abyss, all my happy days

behind me.

I hold my hands in prayer position,

arms raised over my head.

I stop struggling to not go under.

I go under and let that weight, the peace

at last, take me down.

She

Fear is splendid

in making the body inflamed,

bloated on trepidation at the news

of many meadows burning.

She hurried and found a healer

inside herself, willing to go

the distance and forfeit

personal power for a greater

acquisition.

She understood the traveller and

the sit-at-homer as one in the same,

especially on a stormy day or a year of upheaval.

Faith is the bullseye with no point-marks gained

unless hit dead-centre, directing every focus

to only that centre.

Faith is the wave to ride to the shore,

removed from other moving sources,

like wind and arm-strokes.

She opened herself to fear

not denying it but seeing it

as just another entity

under the canopy, smaller

than the giving sun.

Out

I asked to be let out

from that unwanted accomplishment.

I asked to shed my shame, my duty

and the hard-core call of doing time.

It was taken down and away from me,

along with so much more.

Guilt, and worldly bondage

also fell along with security,

along with a strange, twisted pride.

Knuckles down, hands still folded.

In my head are ghosts of patterns dissolved

but are still haunting. Ways of being I don’t have to

carry are dropped, but my empty arms are stalled

in position, humbled by uncertainty.

Set free and starting over, but not yet started,

just starting to try to etch out different

possibilities, a solid surging becoming.

Whiffs of passing currents,

rich aromas that entice briefly then fade.

Whiffs I cannot capture and keep,

not now, maybe never,

let out, dumbfounded,

helpless, screaming, just born.

A Love Like No Other

Your steady love has saved me,

one more dark wave rising and you

hold my hand, staying the course,

sharing with me your glowing inspiration,

giving me space to expose

my gruesome wounds within.

You do not flinch, or distract, but give me room

to writhe and cry out and then you look at me,

love in your eyes like God at my table,

offering water, acceptance,

and with that acceptance, untellable mercy.

Every night you read to me to keep me afloat,

to cup me in the flow of your voice

reminding me why we are here.

I think you will leave me, here

to implode in this over-a-year pit

of me climbing up to the edges, falling back in,

collapsing on bedrock, but you never do.

You stay and you are steady

and you are a miracle, patient, never

cursing your fate, never letting me go.

Allison Grayhurst has been nominated for “Best of the Net” six times. She has over 1,400 poems published in over 530 international journals, including translations of her work. She has 25 published books of poetry and six chapbooks. She is an ethical vegan and lives in Toronto with her family. She also sculpts, working with clay; www.allisongrayhurst.com