I walk into the street armed with words I wrote last night.
They are my bronze armor when dark befalls on frigid
winter days.
When thoughts of an unredeemable past resurface,
Their company disarms anger, soothes the hurt,
Laces details into the larger tapestry.
Alas, they
Often
rebel.
Solemnly
refuse to
Offer
any consolation,
They just sit there and sit
Their
commanding presence nearly a declaration of war
Each
letter s t a r e s
At
me insubordinately,
Void
of resonance,
Indifferent
to my pleas.
Unburden me!
I demand. Set me free!
Absolve my faults,
Redeem it all!
Redeem it all!
Silence in response.
Letters curve in
Meaningless twirls;
The magic wand devoid of magic.
Shieldless, I cower at my doorsteps like a swordless
worrier.
Met by shrewd winds, and
Strangers milling in the streets in the millions.
I turn to flee. Back indoors! feet are commanded.
Wait, a thin voice arises from the lamppost a step
away.
I near it; the black metal is cold to the touch,
quiet to the ear.
Yet I wait.
The sun moves away; shortly, dark will fall. I tighten my woolly hat.
And wait.
Incapacitated. Night takes
over.
All alone in a bitter streetcorner.
Then some slight movement underfoot.
Or am I imagining?
Slowly
they start rising from the pavement,
Dropping
from the awnings,
Leaping
out of my coat sleeves.
Forming
into
Lines.
Playfully
Coil
and whirl; my
eyes twitch, birthing more letters,
Flowing
down my cheeks. My neck, wet with
words.
I
bleed, I vomit; sentences stream out in
Spasms
of sweat, my head implodes
With
tidal surges.
The
street is inundated
With
waves of tales.
Pedestrians
flee, cars loudly screech, the ground shakes,
A
roof nearby caves in, rats run out of their burrows.
Sufficed,
I shake my stiff limbs and saunter down the street
With
poise.
Armor
at hand.
Rinat, so beautiful, so very moving. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHauntingly wonderful and so very relevant given the events of the past few weeks.
ReplyDeleteMark, what events are you referring to?
Delete