slip-sliding away…..

Two dogs rush past
on the street in front of me,
sparing only brief glances
as they eagerly embark on journeys
to taste as much freedom as they can
before their owners realise their absence.

The birds chirp a melodious song,
complemented by the din of the highway,
and never-ending construction work and repairs,
possible only now that
our ravaging Winter has left.

The wind is strong yet gentle,
carrying the smells of
cut grass drying out
on this Spring morning,
long before
the oppressive heat of Summer arrives.

I’m slowly exploring
this neighbourhood:
mid-morning walks
not as frequent as I’d like,
though far more possible
now that home affairs are more settled.

In mere weeks,
the kids will be home
for the agonisingly-long Summer break,
when rest is in short supply,
as nights crunch sleep
into insufficient pauses
between intolerably warm days.

One year ago,
I sat on a curb
reflecting on an environment I’d soon lose:
a home of nearly 15 years,
which I bade farewell to
as the endless march
of time and life
took me to pastures anew.

And now,
I sit on a different curb,
out in the open street –
not sheltered,
yet still safe –
taking in
the last days of October,
before year-end approaches
and,
I hope,
the weight of these last 12 months
will dissipate.

Further afield,
the world burns
as genocide is streamed live,
cloaked under tired excuses
trotted out
every time the bully
embarks on another campaign
of disproportionate destruction,
eager to usurp
more and more,
an insatiable greed
endured, decade after decade,
by those painted as sub-human –
underserving of ‘civilised’ consideration –
by the modern day pharaohs
and their media magicians.

And whilst I get
to kiss my kids at night,
and tuck them in
to comfortable, safe beds,
their counterparts
half the world away
spend nights in terror,
not knowing
when the next blast will hit…
when their parents
will go to sleep,
never to wake again.

Tomorrow is not promised –
to them
or to us –
but
in these dark days,
all we can do
is trust
that
peace will prevail,
the suffering will end.
When true justice is served
enemies can become friends…