I sit among family,
\naunts, uncles, children,
\nplates of food.
\nI am young among elders,
\nmature among youth.
\nMy legs are strong.
\nI am innocent,
\na barnacle racing through water
\nwith the sail of life
\nopen full above me.<\/p>\n
I turn the light off.
\nFor a moment dark causes me fear.
\nI turn the light on.
\nI sit among family,
\naunts, uncles, children.
\nThe sun is past the meridian,
\nI look at their faces.
\nSome with new eyes,
\nabsences,
\nmy legs feel heavy
\nfrom time to time.
\nI fall into silence listening,
\nparticularly to my children,
\nto my love.
\nI eat bread without butter.
\nThe wind has died.
\nThe ship floats in the water.<\/p>\n
I turn the light off.
\nI refuse sleep anymore.
\nI hear things in the night,
\nneither sad nor happy,
\nbells sounding,
\ntolling for what?
\nI turn the light on.
\nI sit among family,
\naunts, uncles, children.
\nI am moored in a harbor.
\nThe sun is going down.
\nShould I turn off the light
\nI ask of nothing in particular?
\nAnd nothing in particular replies,
\nwith a strange, compelling affection,
\nlet it burn, Ted.
\nLet it burn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I sit among family, aunts, uncles, children, plates of food. I am young among elders, mature among youth. My legs are strong. I am innocent,…<\/p>\n