I Once Knew
I knew what lay ahead once, I'm sure
Before I knew what did not
And then I knew for certain
I'd never know again the certainty
Of who I was and what I'd be
Before I knew what did not
And then I knew for certain
I'd never know again the certainty
Of who I was and what I'd be
So now I reach for open space
Where the thing I'm not sure that I can be
Sits at the table next to me and asks "What next?"
And as I ponder, this Other twinkles just a bit
And seems to laugh beneath Its breath till I ask "What?"
"Oh, you'll see" it almost mocks to me
But I can see it only means to play
And wrestle into me the hard won joys
Of finding out I find myself only when
I bid this familiar stranger "Show me something new."
So I stand and stretch and down the last
Of morning's coffee courage
I tease but really, if I'm true
Plead with my Muse to "Show me, please!"
To find beyond this langouring doubt
The 'Me' once stubbornly pursued.
He falls in behind, becomes my shadow
As I decide which way to step
He whispers in my ear, once left then right
Till I attend to things I did not see
For then I was not looking.
I will get nothing done until complete this walk becomes
I wonder how I could begin the day
Until I complete this mindless amble
I wander roads and paths I thought I knew
And gamble it will somehow pay.
Suddenly so full of thought and things
I then recall and speak again
Or invent and add to the golden list
Of things I never knew I felt
But feel I always have.
And spying all these fleeting shows
Of dancing, laughing, breathing "Yes"
That never tells me "no"
I begin right there to welcome back
The me I will become again
And something more, I trow.
Where the thing I'm not sure that I can be
Sits at the table next to me and asks "What next?"
And as I ponder, this Other twinkles just a bit
And seems to laugh beneath Its breath till I ask "What?"
"Oh, you'll see" it almost mocks to me
But I can see it only means to play
And wrestle into me the hard won joys
Of finding out I find myself only when
I bid this familiar stranger "Show me something new."
So I stand and stretch and down the last
Of morning's coffee courage
I tease but really, if I'm true
Plead with my Muse to "Show me, please!"
To find beyond this langouring doubt
The 'Me' once stubbornly pursued.
He falls in behind, becomes my shadow
As I decide which way to step
He whispers in my ear, once left then right
Till I attend to things I did not see
For then I was not looking.
I will get nothing done until complete this walk becomes
I wonder how I could begin the day
Until I complete this mindless amble
I wander roads and paths I thought I knew
And gamble it will somehow pay.
Suddenly so full of thought and things
I then recall and speak again
Or invent and add to the golden list
Of things I never knew I felt
But feel I always have.
And spying all these fleeting shows
Of dancing, laughing, breathing "Yes"
That never tells me "no"
I begin right there to welcome back
The me I will become again
And something more, I trow.
0 comments :
Post a Comment