Here in the Woods
Something bit me on my left temple,
right beside my eye.
I’ve only been in these woods a few hours
and already the residents have branded me new prey.
I’m trying to find the rhythm called slow down.
It sounds like a heart beating,
one steady thump every second.
My life has chased me here,
especially work and my worries
about payment errors and nonrefundable fees.
I’m only nervous when I look backwards,
and realize that the boot heavy on my chest
is the same one grinding others to dust.
Here in the woods, I find perspective.
I know something better came before,
and something better too will come after.
“A little perspective, like a little humor, goes a long way.”
This poem was written on May 16, 2023.
©Brian Mueller - All rights reserved.
