settling

whats lies
     in the way
     of mountains

but miles of flat          

       and more mountains still

this dustbowl crusade 
    kicked up those ghosts
    of hollow eyes
          of anguished souls
tasted the death of every 
tomorrow
     in the grit
     between
               their teeth
bared in bracing

knowing
hung heavy
     under the guise
     of not
     knowing
as the threads of cold lives
snagged 
     and unraveled 
               

               the only way to weave
               was to start again
when the rain would bleed down
tamping dust
     tempting soil
     paths paved and carved
laid down and saved
    that the earth might yield     
          more fertile days

so still feet
should they seek to shuffle
     in the days
     when knowing 
would come through
smudged glass 
     and backlit screens

might call upon
          those miles
          (that flatness)
the places 
we no longer lie
               and find rest
               (what calm)
between the mountains
                              

Reviews

[icelandicblue]

We are wanderers in this life but there are times we need to find the plateaus and rest because there will always be mountains to cross. Loved these lines:


this dustbowl crusade
kicked up those ghosts
of hollow eyes
of anguished souls
tasted the death of every
tomorrow
in the grit
between
their teeth
bared in bracing

Made me feel the same way when I read the Grapes of Wrath, I could feel the grit in my teeth then too.

[ChemicalMadness]

I truly appreciate the kind words, blue ;) Thank you.

CM.

[Corset]

wonderful how you captured the "knowing" and "not knowing" into words and still made that uncertainty sound so gloriously peaceful.

[ChemicalMadness]

Thank you so much!
CM.

[Corset]

my pleasure always :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

dust settles, souls settle...

there is a shuffling, we are not resting...there is a reason for that...some things need to change...there needs to be peace and love...
life is smudged...

i love your use of contradictions in this, especially in the "knowing" stanza.

nicely done.

[ChemicalMadness]

like your thoughts on change...always happy to see you stopped in and enjoyed...

Thank you,
CM.

[lost girl]

dumbfounded...near speechless ....If that isn't the most gorgeous earthy view. You musta seen it...

[ChemicalMadness]

now who's speechless? (me)

Thank you!
CM