Unknown Terrain

Am I my own lesson, growing distant Owning nothing, owing everything The places I have stepped over; impasses, hurrying me, Slowing me down, holes made to fall in, Shouldering faults of weakness Speaking languages I could not have written The word I a curse, the word you a blessing (We are hard of hearing only certain sounds.) Every second every breath houses unknown visitors Opens to a trail to where I have not been Are we going there, or are we not? How far is it, for the dark is treacherous. How could we live so long and not know every direction by now? Our hands talk, our eyes do not. Our faces smile, but our mouths hang slack Like vagrants sighting police with night sticks. Half of our emotion caught out after dark Blurry like famous paintings nobody understands (We're old now, and secrets are over-rated.) But afraid to move afraid to think, Darkness coalesces ahead of us Like actions we've yet to regret. (The worst thought: When I become frail, I will know it.)