A man sits on a wall
facing East
(every Day and every Night)
watching the sun rise
and always searching for a few special
shooting stars
his daily view involves a street in front of the wall
as he watches everything that passes by
(including Time)
and although most everything does not stop
(including Time)
something eventually does
causing a laugh and a tear
or a memory and a thought
to travel with the blowing leaves
instead of being trapped within the wall
on some Nights
the waves crash with a pounding force
a force unseen through the darkest of mists
hiding the moon
yet the water rarely touches the straight and narrow line
he has followed and forged among the waving grasses
which line and protect the shore
on other Days
the rain falls with a drenching force
a force unseen thought the darkest of clouds
hiding the sun
although the waves and the rain boast similar thunderous noises
the man’s travelled line remains straight and narrow
he has seen his view covered by
leaves and snow
yet he still remains
and as Time moves on
(as it forever does)
he becomes the wall
for he has...
Shook the hands of invisible superstars,
before they became super or stars.
Heard the gunshot of a misfired bullet of anger or ignorance,
whose scar remains faded yet noticeable.
Planted trees and nurtured their growth,
until they have transformed into lonely buildings.
Smelled roasted peanuts of an innocent small-town circus parade,
although the shells (and smells) have been long-forgotten.
Felt the sun on the day it was four inches from the ground,
but somehow it was not as close as the moon that night.
He has seen floods and droughts,
weddings and fights
diseases and cures
newborns and funerals
nothing and nothing
experiences years of boredom
filled with weeks of excitement
hours of tragedy
and minutes of routine
yet Tonight
as the sun sets for the first Time ever
and what would be the last Time as well
he spots (finally) his first (and only)
shooting star
as he reaches stardom himself
and the blowing wind carries away a small piece of the now-crumbling-ivy-covered-but-still-standing wall
