The Present

The door opened, piped-tobacco-stained air wafted through the room
A hint of smoky autumn leaves, hot cider, sepia skies and skin
This medusa blast, tears frozen drip, all else stiffens within
Movement amnesia'd, shattering promise made, eyes be-rheumed

This was-flood, this cut-course kaleidoscope, Mesmer's magnet made
Cloying fog descends, meaning-theft mist, edges blurred, all is indistinct
Walk forward with objective unrecalled, purpose expelled, destination extinct
Time unfeckled, strength beshackled, moments' cards: bluffed, called, arrayed.

And then,
pencil-thin,
diamond-pinned-Now pricks in.
Stretched film retracts within.
Clarity returns again.
The present wherein
the future begins
tunes in.

Snakeskin sloughs away, looking to today and what may come, may come
Journey of am and are is seen, beauty hidden between, the was is done, is done
Restart to go, whereto unknown, but flow on, flow on
The gift of is, the eternal gee-whiz, light of peace is shown, has shone

This is

written November 27, 2007 by Jeff Couch