The man exuded bitterness, the
lingering aroma of knowing the truth.
With each moment he seemed ready
to accelerate into flight,
the more distance the better,
sweet speed nestling in his mind,
his focus on the loud presence
of the whole earth
for the first time in his life.
He had never gone to the moon
and looked back on Earth,
never touched the flame
that consciousness brings
with that kind of leap. Like white chocolate and the
savory bougainvillea it was
a life scent that he had never
come close to. He was
more nearly ready than we thought:
his energy settled to a
whisper of hope, a smooth touch
of reality and nearness, intensity
of lilacs fading, his running
no longer producing a blur but now
the strong awareness of this new
dimension of life.