A Throughline

Late afternoon casts

Long shadows following

Lightly behind me

As I make my way uphill

This longing, stretching out

of my contrail

seems to slow my thoughts

To a lingering, lengthening

Until a throughline

Levels out the path

Lulls me forward

Sensed as much from

Where I have been

As where I am leaning

No more looping or swirling of mind

Clarity of a through line

Directs the way I must go

The way forward illustrated

As much by the leaving, the letting go

In long thoughtful strokes

As by the casting of my dreams

Lovingly drawn out in luscious lines

With clarity of a throughline—

Nothing ever lost

I am neverlost