The Elder
by Judith Adams
©2006 Pomegranate Seed Production
[Image: Old Man with Dog © 2007 Huiqing He used with permission]

Strange to be living at the outpost.
In the city they are not yet tired of
telling tales for commercial reasons.

But they, too, will grow old
and make their way here.
The view across the landscape,

especially at sunset, is lovely.
Everyday, it is easier to impress yourself.
You grow fond of the slow moving hour

as your witness. You grow fond of the erotic
nights, more passionate, more complete.
You have found a way to worship.

and it doesn't involve praying in unison,
kneeling at noon, or bowing to anyone.
It takes a lot of youth to pry open the

stiff and difficult borders of the heart.
Forget the tools, the expense is not worth it.
You need old hands and a

devotion not always found in mosques
or churches. It is a holy season.
You are peeling away to the

soft inner fortress, and there you
are held in the magic
of that moment.

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