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