Figure On A Cliff

A figure can be seen
standing on the point of a cliff
with its arms outstretched to either side.

If it is planning to jump
it would do well to do so soon
as already would-be rescuers 
are scrambling up the paths
to stop it.

The figure may instead be preparing
to fly, but no one can be sure
until they are close enough to see
what flex is in play,
how the knees
are set for movement,
whether or not
there are feathers or webs along the arms
to facilitate flight. 

The figure may of course
be planning to do
none of the above, is just
standing there.

But that’s not good enough for us.

Down here we exist
immersed in a churning need
to assign meaning 
to unfamiliar sights.

To treat them
as omens, to create a need
to interact 
with sights and sounds we misunderstand
in such ways
that we can tell ourselves,
with great conviction,

that we are critical
to maintaining reality.