I listened to a recording
this morning

of ambient sound,
almost an hour’s worth.

Just sat with it; just let it
wash me with love and affirmation.

Afterward I turned back
to the world

and it felt much the same —
full of dread, fear, occasional

words of someone else
that seemed to take hold

of a moment; let it
wash over me with pain.

I’m untouched, I think,
by anything these days.

I’m a broken man,
I’m a whole one,

content to be shifted
from one pole to the other.

Now it’s time, I think,
to go outside

and see
what world I live in now:

the wash of peace,
the wash of war.

I can choose, I guess,
either one.

It excites me,
the freedom of choice.

It frightens me,
the slavery of choice.

It is no different
to me —

balance, equilibrium,
evenness of choosing — so

I open
the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
onward,
T