Midlife Gothic

To relax and
let my mind wander
is to trust it will 
eventually find its way
to a bright somewhere
instead of 
becoming lost
in this darker wilderness
where I started,
marveling as whatever
path it takes 
dips and reveals 
creatures in my shadows
who are unfamiliar and 
whose motives are unclear;

yet still feeling certain
that this journey
will be worthwhile even if
it merely affirms my desire
to soak in as much gloom
as I can find before I go,

preparing me to be comfortable
should there indeed be
only a void beyond this life.