265. 4:30 p.m.: In The Dark

          Far from
          Home.
          Far from
          Home.
          Lead me
          On.
          Lead me
          On.
          Crag and
          Torrent–

Left hand,
Right.
Left hand,
Right. Thomas
Took the same path
Homeward, Patty had:
One hand foward, then
The other, on the top rung
Of barbed-wire, though he
Could not see
The fence, his feet
Or hands, and
Wind scalded his body
Black with sand.

          O’er crag
          And torrent till
          The night is gone.
          Crag and torrent,
          Torrent
          Till the night is gone.

Looping through his head,
A broken record’s
Drone, the old hymn skipped
And babbled. Thomas,
Clinging, pulling
Forward, arm by arm.

          Ruled by pride.
          Remember not past years.
          Ruled by pride.
          Remember not past years.

Grasping, one hand,
Then the other. Thomas
Clenched his teeth:
Damn luck! The truck had
Broke! That truck
Had seen more storms
Than he could reckon–
Up and quit!
When he’d needed it–when
He’d counted on it,
Damn, it
Died.

          Lead Thou me on!
          I loved to see my path.
          Lead Thou me on!
          I loved to see my path.
          I loved to see–
          But now,
          Lead Thou me on.

He did not feel
The barbs, but
Lived for that next pull,
Bleeding palms squeezed
Tight. The words
Revolved like mice
Caught in a cage.
He, though, was not
Led. No kindly
Light would beckon–
All there was,
Just hands,
The words,
The wire.

          Keep Thou my feet.
          I do not ask to see
          The distant scene.
          One step
          Enough for me.
          Keep Thou my feet.
          I do not ask to see
          The distant scene.
          One step enough
          For me.

Gusts wrenching from the side
Ripped off his sleeve. All
Senses, gone. Deprived
Of sight–eyes
Blank with storm.
But left hand,
Right: steps
Faltered, and
Went on.