poem: liminality

[image source]

liminality

walking across the bridge, his mind
surrenders to the flow of water far below,
to the flow of things, the tumble and turns
requiring the strength of bone, the stature
of granite, a fierce solidity that seems so
out of reach, muffled by the thunder of each
footfall on wood, each step carrying him
away from land, suspended above the ravine,
neither here nor there, suspended between
breaths, waiting for the shadow to rise
from the slight pause, but it doesn't, so
there is only the waiting, and the walking,
and the distant thunder of water, one foot
after the other, breath after breath, and
the fear, a sound, as though a flute were played
by a tornado, the horrible screech, scratching
the interior of his skull, fear that tastes bitter,
the not knowing, suspended between each breath,
footfall after footfall, breathing the river's liquid
mystery, then it's over, the bridge is crossed,
both feet on solid ground, a deep breath, a sigh,
a slight shiver, and the cruel bliss of forgetting


This was another effort at Jay's exercise. It came out all in one big block of text, but it felt like it needed to be broken into lines. Not sure it quite works as a poem but I liked it.

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