The Plunge

Drowning in a distance

where no footing means no fall -
chances cast and cheated,

you can't stand if you can't crawl.

You fear your every phantom,

yet you're nothing but a ghost.

Your corners cut and beaten

and not holding what you hope.

Bleed what you call tears,

despite the blindness of your eyes

jaded by injustices

and loathing all your lies.

Breathing every breakdown,

you can silence every scratch,

while wrapping wounds with nothing

but the ashes of a match.

You cling to all you cancel

and then grasp what you let go.

You call for someone nameless

as you brave what's down below.

Edging toward your ending,

you can look or you can leap -
the flight only as high

as the plunge you made was deep.