THE LONG SIDEWALK

The sidewalk is long. 

You can’t see to the end of it. 

At first, you figure it’s just perspective, 

but as you move along it, 

the sidewalk physically narrows. 

Soon you find there is no room 

for you to turn around. 

So you keep walking forward, 

the only way you can go. 

The sidewalk borders  

a dark woods to one side; 

a swift river to the other. 

A misstep could plunge you helplessly into either. 

The narrowing continues until

you have to take your steps single file, 

one foot directly in front of the other. 

Further on, the sidewalk turns sideways, 

merging into the horizon, 

a line you must tread like a tightrope, 

lest you plunge helplessly 

into the future or the past.