Rest Now

Climbing, clawing, striving, gasping,
pleading, straining, scrambling.

A forced march, fleeing an unrelenting pursuer,
never knowing rest nor quarter.

Engulfed by invisible flame, frantic and reeling,
desperate. To swallow such poison, again
and again and again and always
unseen.

And always
the call, the ceaseless temptation,
to turn away;
to harden the heart, if only to staunch the bleeding;
to resign to the desert; to perish,
and recede.

Rest now, you who have done
so much
with
so little.

Who have held tight the searing brand
of frustrated hope.

Who have furnished warmth
from an unending winter.

Who have walked unshrinking
into the blinding light.

Who have given to so many
what was never afforded you.

Rest now.