I told him in the hall that time is tyrrany
what message did he need
a moment of reflection reflected back
being seen while seeing differently
joining solitudes, held to the shore against despair
I don’t know if he reached his peace
I am always reaching for mine
the pause between performances
when people need something particular from me
become shorter than the need to return
to self, to life, to hope, to calm, to truth
the banks are eroding, the leaders just take more
the River doesn’t rage, she’s assertive
she responds to toxic choices with determination
to flow where she can, move as she must
if the body is sick, can the spirit strengthen
do mountains speak truths in sliding mud
roads cast away as temporary, as futile
tourists still travelling to collect last treasure
what relations claim me, as I try to breathe
while being choked by clouds of hypocrisy
by better paid hands of destruction
time may be tyranny, but it’s all we have
to live the temporary calm between seasons
of fire, forgetting, flood and foolishness
we meet hearts in the hallway
mutual seeing across structure, around roles
what will catch us, each, as we are pulled under
surfacing only through metaphor
or desperation to exhale and listen
my heart makes the sound of a spring creek
she grows