an escaping lamppost

an escaping lamppost

this street like all others has a lamppost

a guiding light for its wanderer

a piercing reprieve from the darkness

in which there can be no safety

and no certainty

by quickly traversing this street
you draw nearer to the gleam that leads the way
as you pass by faces and scenes
that fade into shadows
you leave bricks behind
one after another

what lies ahead is yet to be seen
barring only the ever-distant lamppost
the rest is still concealed by shadow
just the same as all that you’ve passed

you don’t ponder what lies in these shadows
but instead press on with your heart ablaze
not burning nearly as brightly as the far off lamp
of which reaching is all that you yearn for

maybe someday you’ll notice
that despite all of your journeying
you’ve grown no closer to the lamppost
and still lie in darkness
like all the faces and scenes that you’ve left behind

and perhaps then you’ll realize
that they had been shining even brighter

Nicholas DuVal

6/18/20