Four Days in the Forest Haze

Out to the green

I had to get away

The pictures I’d seen

Called to me that day

The day I arrived

I walked the clear blue stream

I thought and I thrived

It was better than I dreamed

But the weather changed

Clouds rearranged 

Lost wits and ways

Four days in forest haze

Follow the dream

Don’t hesitate 

I encouraged myself

Or they’ll evaporate 

But a leap of faith

Without preparation 

Is like asking the heavens

To send frustration 

And the weather changed 

Clouds rearranged 

Life’s tragic plays

Four days in forest haze

I wandered in circles

Hungry and shivering

I cursed my daydreams

Prayed for delivering

Rest wasn’t possible 

In cold damp clothes

Hope seemed implausible 

With toes nearly froze

‘Cause the weather changed 

Clouds rearranged 

Where hope decays

Four days in forest haze

I said to myself

This isn’t my thing

Hey I didn’t sign up

For suffering 

I willed my limbs

To keep up the fight

I was bound to walk

Until I saw the light

Then the weather changed

Clouds rearranged 

And lifted away

No more days in forest haze

If you jump in the deep end

Before you can swim

Never give up

Never give in

If you’re like me

Share a lesson learned

Put out the fire

Before others get burned

‘Cause you can change

Plans can rearrange

Don’t settle, don’t stay

Too many days in the forest haze

by Royce Waxenfelter 

4/19/22

Shadow of My Soul

Beyond the shadow of a doubt

Beyond the searing pain of gout

Exceeds my fears and cringes

Breaks the door off of its hinges

The shadow of my soul leaps away

Cautions me to rue the day

Slips inside a shadow’s coffin

Removes the cap he was doffin’

He says:

One day you’re going to be like me

One day, one day, one day you’ll see

One day you’re liable to doff my cap

Slip inside for a long dirt nap

Next to the old grist mill

Rats are scrambling to get their fill

Do they know that I will die

Amidst the barley and the rye

Will the story ever unfold

Or remain discreet, forever untold

Will the killer be revealed

Or will my bones remain concealed

He says:

One day you’re going to be like me

One day, one day, one day you’ll see

One day you’re liable to doff my cap

Slip inside for a long dirt nap

For now I sleep and start to rot

Dream of a life which I knew not

My shadow lives to taunt me low

As if to say I told you so

If I could wake from this long dirt nap

The shadow’s slack I’d take it back

Hide from the light and never allow

My shadow free to haunt me now

He says:

One day you’re going to be like me

One day, one day, one day you’ll see

One day you’re liable to doff my cap

Slip inside for a long dirt nap

By Royce Waxenfelter

4/8/22