William Michaelian: Sanctuary

Click here to hear the audio clip of Sanctuary read by the author William Michaelian.

At last you've found
my room, this sunless cave
with writing on
the walls.

Be careful, now,
don't disturb the bones.

But heed the moans,
heed the moans.


"Sanctuary" also appears in Another Song I Know, a collection of short poems by William Michaelian released in June 2007 by Cosmopsis Books in San Francisco.

Author's Note

When Lola asked me to read some of my poems for the audio portion of the Armenian Poetry Project, I was both flattered and thrilled. Since two of my sons are musicians, I knew their home studio equipment would be perfect for the job. With their help, I soon learned how to record, save, and send files. But when I was finally on my own and I began to read, I was appalled by the results. No matter what I tried, I ended up committing murder: tone of voice, emphasis, volume -- there was always something wrong. Then I remembered: when I was writing the poems, and testing them periodically with my voice as I always do, I was whispering them . . . which leads me to believe that this is the way they should be read -- at least by me. If someone else were to read them, I'm sure they would sound fine in full voice. Or, if I were to read them before a live audience -- but, because of the rather strange, reclusive life I lead, that is something I've never done. Oh, well. Now you know. So, on to the poems. . . .