Long Overdue
by Shawn K. Inlow
A starving man was given a feast
And sent out into the world
But given only dry crackers
These will sustain you, they said,
But only so you can dream of the feast
A man dying of thirst
Crawled to the edge of an oasis
And he swam
And the sweet water ran over his tongue
And made him alive
His journey was from somewhere to oblivion
And here his soul did rest
But the desert extended in every direction
He filled a bottle and hoped it would last
And he went into the hot sun
Dreaming of the shade
Awesome, Shawn! Looking forward to more of what this man finds (out) in his foray into the desert, and wishing him some sweet shade as well.
ReplyDeleteThe title, to me, says you've not arrived yet. You're late. Where were you going? The first stanza to me is cruel. And it examines what you've got on the journey versus what is fulfilling. Dry crackers. You can subsist, but can you LIVE. What is the feast for the reader? What do you dream of? What makes you vibrant? What do you need? The second stanza is a hopeless journey, again, with a subject in need and dying. He receives respite, but cannot stay... somehow he has got to continue... but where? He fills his bottle and he might not make it... a bottle of water is a shallow reminder of the fulfillment of his dreamy respite... yet he takes it and goes... why?
ReplyDeleteIt is a charm to see you Kerrie. I wake up dreaming most days. I hope you have water on the journey!
ReplyDelete