Dec 2020
TAKING A WALK
in the city visiting to take my mind off things
for a just little while, so i thought maybe taking a walk
would be enough to clear my head, on this day somehow
i took a wrong turn veering off the usual walkabout
it was early spring, with no coat still i felt confident
as i looked to recognize a landmark or two, i was
sweating bullets, soaking through my tee-shirt
as a little voice said stay calm, while i clearly was
not- crossing over into a state of panic, it was mid-day
with time on my side-still i could not figure out how
i had made such a mistake to lead me this far a stray
by now i had walked for quite a while, feeling parched
i wanted something to drink, so i looked around, the
neighborhood was typical, close together , lots of two stories
with front facing porches, i sat down at the nearest one
hoping no one would mind, within a minute, my breathing slowed
my pulse beat a little less hard, then from out of nowhere, stood
a person over me and i looked up, to see, they were dressed
in a white robe, diaphanous see- through, like a cloud, i blinked
then they called me by my first name, i thought: who can this be?
the voice was reassuring and put me at ease, they said you walk so fast you need to slow down, i asked why? because they said there is no rush you are already home- i was confused, my mind began to swim-while up ahead- i saw a commotion with lots of people gathered around milling about i stood up from where i was sitting, i decided to walk over there -i heard people say- he never saw the car - he must have been confused, to walk right in front of it, as i looked over i saw someone lying in the street who looked like me, as if i was sleeping but surely that cannot be as i was standing right here, and the people continued to walk right by me as if i was not even there, someone else said - such a shame he was not from around here, no one here recognizes him- soon i heard the sirens and the crowds started to stir then break a part a little more in order to let the officers in- they started asking questions
while, taking down notes, then i felt a soft tap on my shoulder, it
was the stranger asking me if i was ready, i began to feel calm, reassured as the surrounding voices waned, we turned around to walk back the way i had come, thinking i was lost, turns out i wasn't at all, and with each step i took, I felt myself, grow strong becoming more alive, if that was possible to feel ten or more years younger too
by Michael Perry
in the city visiting to take my mind off things
for a just little while, so i thought maybe taking a walk
would be enough to clear my head, on this day somehow
i took a wrong turn veering off the usual walkabout
it was early spring, with no coat still i felt confident
as i looked to recognize a landmark or two, i was
sweating bullets, soaking through my tee-shirt
as a little voice said stay calm, while i clearly was
not- crossing over into a state of panic, it was mid-day
with time on my side-still i could not figure out how
i had made such a mistake to lead me this far a stray
by now i had walked for quite a while, feeling parched
i wanted something to drink, so i looked around, the
neighborhood was typical, close together , lots of two stories
with front facing porches, i sat down at the nearest one
hoping no one would mind, within a minute, my breathing slowed
my pulse beat a little less hard, then from out of nowhere, stood
a person over me and i looked up, to see, they were dressed
in a white robe, diaphanous see- through, like a cloud, i blinked
then they called me by my first name, i thought: who can this be?
the voice was reassuring and put me at ease, they said you walk so fast you need to slow down, i asked why? because they said there is no rush you are already home- i was confused, my mind began to swim-while up ahead- i saw a commotion with lots of people gathered around milling about i stood up from where i was sitting, i decided to walk over there -i heard people say- he never saw the car - he must have been confused, to walk right in front of it, as i looked over i saw someone lying in the street who looked like me, as if i was sleeping but surely that cannot be as i was standing right here, and the people continued to walk right by me as if i was not even there, someone else said - such a shame he was not from around here, no one here recognizes him- soon i heard the sirens and the crowds started to stir then break a part a little more in order to let the officers in- they started asking questions
while, taking down notes, then i felt a soft tap on my shoulder, it
was the stranger asking me if i was ready, i began to feel calm, reassured as the surrounding voices waned, we turned around to walk back the way i had come, thinking i was lost, turns out i wasn't at all, and with each step i took, I felt myself, grow strong becoming more alive, if that was possible to feel ten or more years younger too
by Michael Perry
