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Walking
Walking
beyond the farmer's home
up a steep incline
into a dark wood
where mushrooms sprung
I picked some
A criminal act, an
error, a sin
I dropped them;
watched them fall to the ground
and tumble down.
Then I
reached where I was going
A bittersweet building
or was it a
ship?
In the darkness, no thing was sharp.
Here, I knew
where I had to be
which floor..
But so many entries
so
many doors..
I chose the wrong one.
Inside, a
ship surpassing all
A floating castle of souls
so cleverly
disguised, for sure
I could go with that, for now
but the
people here, I knew them all
friends, relatives, the rest
all
were from the past,
involved in spirited conversation
or
alone.
A door was
open, a wedding beyond
the bride in her flawless dress
whispering
to a girlfriend
the veil still hung about her face
I know who
you are, I thought
I know your name.
Still,
searching for the stranger I was here to meet
I walked through
thin corridors
up steep steps
It wasn't obvious how to get
there
but with persistence, I did.
And there
she was, behind her desk
Just fill in a few forms
and you can
go through for the interview
In a lost space, people
huddled
watching.
But I didn't feel graceless
having
arrived so late
Simply numb.
After the
form filling I waited there
her voice without expression
for
the interview I should pay..
Pay for the interview?
I asked a
simple question
and she left to find an answer
which is when I
quietly slipped away.
Down the
steep stairs
(I lost my shoes)
along the narrow
corridors
back to the wedding area
People were loud
now
laughing, animated, so huge they were!
I glanced
about
and left.
Easily I
found the gate to the wood
the rain remaining; night ivory
black
my feet were soaking
I found the spot where I'd dropped
the mushrooms
and sat
facing away from the ship
Facing...
Below, in
the distance, a shape apparent
the farmer's off-white
cottage
the lights warm,
the drone of machinery
winding
down.
And I
sat
still as the still wind
my whole being soaked as the
earth about it.
And smiled.
© Miakoda 2004
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