re-awakenings

 

been in this dark, doorless corridor
rigid in unseeing stumblings
twisting, fumbling, hand tracing
for an exit

rasping plaster beneath fingertips
an ineffective silence throbs,
echoing hitched breaths, once
unbidden sobs

old time winds around, ensnaring
tripping, ensuring before and after
cloud the air, restricting presence —
there is no now

a fall on unexpected plushness,
carpeted goodness, comfort
from unscratched knees,
relief bone-deep

lying here a while, thinking
blank thoughts and merging
scattered strength back into
piercing focus

though weariness remains unshaken,
achingly the broken pieces slot
back into place – here,
new, breathe in now

the walls fall away, and a
terrifying expanse is filled
with doors, mostly open
and all unlocked

the yesterdays fade,
melted shadows lacking
the glare of uncertainty —
a handle grasped

at last