Striding through the woods at night,

sounds surrounding me, slithers of light.

I stop and kneel,

the cold damp earth spongy underfoot.

I look up to the beaming moon

shrouded by an eerie mist.

Night continues on its path to dawn.

 

Distant voices remind me I am lost,

shadows extending blackness.

I cry out. A primeval urge to dig and climb,

no hiding place to protect my weary bones.

 

Loneliness is devouring me, encircling my being.

Senses super tuned.

Damp air.

Cold clammy skin.

 

My heart is beating in sync with the passing of time,

no respite for weariness still poised on the earth.

Someone is watching.

My eyes close, pictures dancing in the dark.

Light encases me, I feel alive and free

 

contentment pours over me.

Hands entwined with yours

my dull senses refreshed by sweet air

calming my racing heart to a slow beat.

 

Surrounded by colour, liberty impales me.

 

Eyes open.

Violently pulled away.

Feet find their foothold and flounder on.

 

Janie Phillips