think thin shiny onion skin
holey membrane batman
zooming in
think maze of bulbous bushes
with enormous purple flowers
resembling clusters of grapes
think corn maze pumpkin patch
the indirect path
goes in misdirection missteps
mistakes through your dark side
to arrive at the promised land
flowing with milk and honey
working your way through impossible koans
along the way
it takes extreme exertion to relax
let go your ego
let it sail on silver wing
drift away dissolving in pleasant breezes
flushing the system
all the way back to the garden
clear your screen
let it be your undoing
rely on the body’s wisdom
to get you there
and once you arrive
it seems the membrane
veil that veils all things
was thin all along
so thin you are living with separate spirits
the bread crumbs you drop
to find your way back
will feed the birds
you will need to start over
this time
not your first rodeo
with more confidence
James T. Stemmle is an old man, currently living retirement in Riderwood, a senior village, with his wife of 58 years. He writes poetry during morning meditations in his third-floor apartment looking out on a parking lot frequently decorated by flashing ambulance lights. He has published 42 poems in numerous literary magazines.
