Tightrope
©April 17th, 2018
By Vijaya Sundaram
What is this vast ache
Spreading like wildfire
In my arteries?
What is this hot need
To reach out, and out
And spreading upwards?
All comes to an end,
Every blaze dies down
Rain pours down on all.
Can one be of use?
Can one rise above,
Can the smoke rise still?
After the cresting
Come the troughs, and this
Is hard to weather.
I don’t care for this –
The scrambling after
Success and reward.
And yet, a voice speaks,
Says, “What do you have?
What will you offer?
Striving is painful
Not striving is death.
A tightrope awaits.
____________________________________________