Thursday, April 16, 2009

Behind

I got left behind
Somewhere on the slab
Caught between uneven days
Lost in the dreams that grew there.

Got left behind
Looking about
To trees and wonders
Colors
Listening to the thunder
Far off on the horizon
As I stroked my dog's fur
Sitting on the little concrete slab
At my childhood's back door
Wishing for other people and places.

Got left behind
Learning and testing
Lessons of the day
From the pew to the schoolhouse
Broken
Stumbling across things I couldn't
Or could care less to remember
(That is until now)
Because all I could call peace
My own
Was that little concrete slab
At my childhood's back door
And the stroking of my dog's fur
Their eyes to mine
Listening as if in full understanding
Of the tears and wishes that flowed.

Left behind
Even as I skipped ahead
Thinking I was finding myself
As I gyrated
Drank myself into social circles
With bad music and even worse lights
Pulsating about
For a little acceptance
That never attained the level I achieved
On the little slab
Blocking the back door
With the weight of my troubles
So the facilitators could not come
Just me and my dogs
Almost to twilight
And the squadron of mosquitoes
That came to feast
First on our tears
Then on our blood
Then on my memories
Because it was all I had left
As I could not return to the slab
Leaving a cigar and a pint of O.E. to do.

Left behind still
Though I race ahead at every turn
Chasing clouds
Interpretations within
Streaks of lightning
And thunder that follows
To return to that slab
Eyes that listened
Made me feel they felt my pain
Reassured without word
But with rested head upon my knee
That all would be ok
Change would and always comes
As I stroked the fur
Taking in all that I saw
And listened...
Listen..
©2009clarencecbess

No comments: