Another Pain

There are frequent references to pain
and anguish, anxiety and perhaps fear.
Whether these are more companioned in a poet
is hard to say -- or by saying,
a willingness to share
what is of everyman.

Here is a slightly different view ...

PLANE

Take me there -
A request born of love? Jealousy? Curiosity? Insanity?

It is said the balance of self extends across a fulcrum of uncertainty,
and teeters up into exaltation - down into shadows of despair.

Such is a false design and perception -
The pendulum swings from far out to deep within,
and close resembles the prayerful search
for understanding of will and self
to which all men aspire.
But the swing does not mark a steady beat,
or stretch of time, or centered pulse.
No - often the ends remain,
and it is the center that swings instead.

Consider a runway
lit from the sides by the harsh lights of a thousand vehicles;
each containing a stranger
whose visage cannot be perceived behind the blinding glare --
each shouting for attention lost in a wash of shrieking pain.
To be driven to walk
that path with fear that a plane may land at any minute!
Then the end is reached in marsh, or sea, or rocky shoal.

The return!
The lights are out and one must grope along in the dark.
The faces cannot be seen but the shadowy forms sit silent
-- giving no support. Is the demand no less?

Take a pill -- get some help -- it will go away.

Now to crawl that same demanded run.
The lights cannot be seen, for sure,
as one's face is now directed to the ground
where the horizon cannot be seen
but minute pebbles, worms and weeds are ever present.
Pick up the litter one by one --
stones and sticks and human trash placed into your rucksack.
Crawl on while helpful voices tell that all is better now.
Wait until that sack is so full
that it breaks your back and pushes your face into the mud.

Find a way to empty the sack
so that the journey can start again.
Crawl -- crawl on while love is lost
because you cannot hold up your head enough to see.
Remember the lights -- the dark.
Remember that when the plane arrives
you will be destroyed whether up or down --
you cannot run away!

At least when striding tall you were a man!

faucon