He’s a bitter soul
as good as any he knows
He’s desperate
incredulous
uncomprehending
pleading
remaining
and remaining
impaled on rock
above the craggy floor
Patience
she had said
patience
she had said again
you must have patience
She said this to sooth
also to reproach
Patience
he had cried back
how can I afford patience
when I try to die
Patience
when my people is lost and buried
and I haven’t even begun to find
Patience
when I’m left to suffer here
what they never saw
Patience
when all I have is memory
and time is my mortal enemy
Patience
when voices true drown against these cliffs
and mine along with them
Patience
when my fettered ears hear everything
when my blinded eyes see forever
when my ravaged limbs can build and build
a raging mind to probe eternal
I haven’t begun
and you speak of patience
Her wings unfurled
as she slowly fell forward
and gripped the air and
said no more
My eyes
blinded now by flight
followed her
out of the valley
