Poem – “Rowing Backwards, Downstream” – 3/10/2023

Stirring within
all our contemplations,
dreaming of nights, when
fascinations can blur
themselves, within faces
having vanished
of their remorse.

To all those
worsened feelings,
we hold onto teardrops
like we’ve ever been held
in arms – like oars
paddling us back,
in a drowning embrace,

reliving a misguided tension,
finding pain a relief
from a helpless pair of wings,
flying without direction
in those cloudless skies,

for happiness is no different
inside or outside
a scarlet, familiar wound.

Burned, like among your lips,
where a feeling or two
can be settled. At peace,
torn apart in your domain,
though removed from a light
I cannot bother to say
is better for a prayer.

Relived, among tears,
revived in your presence.

Caretaking a wound,
only possible when I am skipping
heartbeats, instead of stones
I would be missing –
if on a path, needless to explore
when all that exists
are open doors,
unwelcoming exits.