THE EMPTY CUP
A solitary dog
Barking in the distance
Barking in the early evening darkness
Speaking of solitude
Speaking of one
Alone
Out on the wide-open plain
One alone…among many
He struggled up the steel deck
Limping badly
Laboring
Physically
For breath
“Hey, what did you do to your leg?”
Long pause before looking at me, “Oh, that is just something my dad did.”
One alone…among many
The man knew he was going to lose everything
He knew he was going to lose the two individuals
Standing on either side of him
To these two individuals that he loved more than life itself
He gave everything
Until they were gone
He now walks alone…but he is not alone
They walk with him still…forever they will
A barren sterile hospital room
A frightened little boy
Trying to be brave
Is asked a question
“Do you want anyone to come in with you?”
A long pause, his eyes move to me
“I would like my Dad to come,
I know he is not going to let anything bad happen.”
They both walk with him still
Forever they will
Still slow moving clear deep water
Moving through a labyrinth of caverns and caves
Moving through darkness, shadow and light
The red blood of the plant is pooled in his left hand
With his right hand and fingers
He paints
He paints the dark stone
Knowing it depicts the future
Knowing, in great detail it depicts the past
Opening that which is still
Opening that which is not tethered to time
The painting finished he steps back
Bringing both hands to his face he paints again…streaking…smearing
Then very slowly he turns
Knowing
She is in the shadow
Standing directly behind him
Standing
Waiting
Waiting in this lost labyrinth
Waiting in a high rise of New York
Waiting on an endless beach of Baja
Waiting for that which happens to them both over and over and over again
Throughout what we know as time