Distance – Page 40

pale whispers of men
pass by along the river
rowing in silence
–
walking stick in hand-
my footprints
fading

sharing in your pain-
my heart and soul wrapped around
your weary shoulders
–
staring at the floor-
the world rolls past
my window

whispering my name-
the last word upon your lips
before you leave me
–
peeling paint-
the swinging gate
at my back

a cool cloudy night-
the horizon aglow with
fingers of lighting
–
dry lightning-
fire licks the walks
of the arroyo

in the dark shadows
cobwebs cling to memories
of a distant past
–
winter stubble-
remnants of
my father

as the sun rises
I try once more to forget
the sins of my past
–
spring evening-
frogs still
as I walk past

years of my life spent
in the futile pursuit of
bubbe’s chicken soup
–
easy rain-
sandwiches and
tomato soup

these nameless corpses
stacked upon one another
bear witness to war
–
cobalt sky-
birds nest in
the shattered roof

offer me darkness
and take me to the places
I would never go
–
gnarled trees-
green eyes glow
in the shadows

leaning back eyes closed
listening to the whitecaps
as they roll on shore
–
salt spray-
roaring wind
in my ears