Living in the Foreground

Living in the Foreground

There are those who scan a distant horizon
And strive
Dream-driven
for what lies beyond-
A wide world curving,
Infinite seas,
Always out of reach.

But I-
I love a closer world
Of rounded rocks jumbled underfoot;
Stumbling, I limp along,
Bruised in my delight,
Pausing again and again,
To stoop close
And marvel at another jeweled obstacle,
Flaws dancing across shining surfaces
Or smiling with crystal teeth
When the stone breaks;
I am captivated
Here,
Now.

The same diamond grains that grind the stones
Drag me down
In shifting sands that
Chafe and cling close;
I leave my dreams behind me,
Erased by every wave.


3rd place in Thought Publishers Inc. 9-09