There You Are
(Poem Starting with a Line by Margot Schilpp)
“No matter where you go, there you are.”
—Firesign Theater
Tell the trees you'll see them later
make it more of a promise, perhaps
a prophesy—although not so much
hoopla regarding your return. Say so
long to the birdies, chirpingly if you must,
you know to keep it short, almost
over your shoulder, they never were
great with departures anyway. Heels
clacking the asphalt, you become
the metronome for all walkers. It's easy—
making distance happen, leaving home,
turning your back from all those things
you love—so easy. You can gait the world
and you'll know if you start to circumnavigate,
when on the other side —halfway— the path
turns muddy and rocky, the moment
you begin to turn and face the things you left.
Your muscles will chirp with pain as you wade
through the muck swamp of your doing,
that darker side we all must traverse,
to come back the wiser, older, harrowed
one —don't say hero here— it wasn't bravery
at all that made the quest. Just one foot
before the other, hoping to see the dawn
coming through the open arms of trees.
--J.P. Dancing Bear
"making distance happen, leaving home,
ReplyDeleteturning your back from all those things
you love—so easy."
Lovely poem capturing the above in feeling.