Now
after all this time,
these anxious months of magical thinking,
of impotent faith,
of prayers to gods I don’t believe in
Now
after Hope lifts it’s head
wags it’s tail
clean, clear-eyed
trusts he’s coming home
Now
I am impatient with my caution
to reach out, to touch,
to feel Hope’s tongue licking away doubt
Now
after all this time,
still the dread of optimism,
still the fear Hope will bite the outstretched hand,
open wounds to drip out dreams of tomorrows.
Now
after all this time.
