To wake into a night of heavy trucks roaring
Beneath the window
Beneath the trees
So intent
Through the narrows
Perhaps hell is this close
Let’s call it hell
A scattering of confusions
Questions proliferate
The leaves rustle
Branches toss
And I’m being tempted to abandon
The fight to breathe
To keep a toe-hold on reality
This is my life and death struggle
To not drown in mucous thick waters
To not drown in a past from which the life has fled
To not drown in your power
I’d like to remember those dreams from last night
I sense they were full of life
Looking at your passing faces
Wondering at the tears that come
Keeping you in view
Not letting too much water flow between us
Enjoying you dancing over there
Hearing you laugh with such vitality
The engines rattle and fire
There’s a shout from one of the upper decks
Cast off!
The moon’s riding high and proud.