Overtaking

You’ve led a life of doing many things

but now shadows overtaking

slowing of your stride

slit of eyes and cold hands

sudden and surprising

longing for when you’re ultimately free

humming your story

only part of your remembering

tightness in the throat

hero and fool

balanced in-between by circumstance

love hopefully

a someday soon apex

as the world chaos

judges you

not caring of the evidence

jail or to the barren desert

perhaps a guillotine

but a pardon from an unknown source

yet knowing in your spirit the truth

a release at midnight through a squeaking gate

the long walk

searching for the lost family

where are they

how to find them

building endurance

time of little time

striving on for contentment

the hope

in the breath of a new believing

of the old belief

racing over earthquakes

shaking streets and rattling windows

people watching you but most in the quick

stir of their own silliness

their own fear turned backward

and you realizing

you were and are one of them

an endless family

so you pray

oh how you pray

cup of hands filling with salt and tears

some of the who and what of God

praying and praying

until the climax finally overtaking.