From far away I hear his breathing
Laboured
He must be running
I say to him
Stop
Unlace your racing shoes
Remove them
And peel off your socks blood and sweat
I picture a stretch of
Long extensors and a venous arch
Prominently defined from the revolt
And at each ankle hinge an old wound
A round scar the colour of rust
We’ve all been crucified one way or another
In our fashion, we react —
You run
Then you slow down and wink
You bestow upon me the punishment of Tantalus
A fact you’ll deny and sweet your denial
You say take fruit, take drink, reach
My muscles never did reach
No matter how near you were
I love you
Runner, elusive hummingbird
As you fly from the nectar of emotion
To the elixir of intellect
To the comfort of denial
Stop
Because listen: because
I don’t want to stop
Is that my cross to bear, is that so?
