...The Walk...

fingering the last lowly and humble busToken

rainWalk to the

Stop

steady pace

right, left, one foot, other foot,

simple

this is How It's Done

that's all we do: continue

"I Am Not my poverty,

this angry ache is Not Me"

nearly empty

busRide

other Days sit in the Back: thugs winos

druggies chatter

some Days suffer beggarStench

truantYouth insolence diseased

balm to festering oceanic

Rage At Life

all Days wonder these mottled minions

denizens defORMed thisThat mixedBag

assorted brands Indigence aBnorMaLities, why

Christ would weep

to reap this rotting fractious feast for

Pity's distasteful cringe

Room At The Back For Anyone

always welcome

LegSpace,

however,

this Day extends Long Legs

inconvenient knees bask in the

Front

silent symbolically mused excuses to No One

("I'm not going very far")

stumbling downward steps spilling silly treasures

eyeMakeup little flashLight keys breathMints pepperSpray

rainSoaked sod the bitter sponge receives it all

daily dutiful traffic puzzleShifts inter/

/Section bored cars disgruntled

memorized Courtesy

monoTone recited

chessMoves calm, Exact, expected

eXChange Just So

Yellow: advance apology

redLights bland indifference

exhaust puffing gritty poisonous perfume of impatience

gleeful green: lusty gears commence delight relief dismay

singing again always

Forward

More Rain, larger, Louder

sWELLing  mercilessly wetThrough

gratitude hugs sensibleStrong wellTanned durable

thickSole stoneHeavy

forcedMarch evenMeasure

rhythmBound steadyPace everWalking

Elephantine bigBoots footBeat rightLeft

thudding Pounding CuRsing concrete paths

two hours forty blocks later

"I - Am - Not

this

burning screaming ramRod wrungTight gasping

weary backBone"

.

~Breathe~

"THIS IS NOT ME"

assuming tomorrowTime nextDay

backBone sturdy Long Legs stiff with regret

deadEnds panic wrongWay

too many

extra

exactly

. . . . . . . Right

 . . . . . . . . . . Perfect

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steps

(Scenic Route) testifies witness to the

impossible miracle, the flashing fiery exhuberant radiance of existence

"This Is Me"

everything before, now, and to come - each Day, each Step

remember

this is enough, this everything of nothing lasts

"Y' know, I figure we're ALL walking wounded...

(Life insists, each scar unique)

...and yet, it's plain to See

some walk

and some Ride"

 Pale

. . . . . Brave

 . . . . . . . . . Steed

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Or

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luxury

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coach

Death takes them Both

the walker

and the walk

.

.

.

~Faye Manning

[[..Mon.14.Feb.2k..]]