Friday, April 11, 2025

Walking the Perimeter

It might just be the loneliest job

Necessity ever created,

A mindless abandonment of willful thought

Meant only to keep the wolf subjugated.

 

Walking in lockstep with himself,

Weapon at ready to challenge on sight,

Waiting, watching, now watching some more

For shape-shifting phantoms stalking the night.

 

Desperately striving to stave off the beast of sleep.

Eyes open, must stay alert.

Gazing out into the wide swathe of nothing

Til memory forestalls and senses pervert.

 

How much longer? How many more steps

Til this ceaseless night comes to conclusion?

Up again, down again, making the rounds again

Til the night is a mask of illusion.

 

It’s a thankless task,

But someone must do it.

Millions have managed before

To get through it.

He walks the perimeter, keeping his keep

While armies of millions are sound asleep.

 


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