Song for My Father (Canção para meu pai) ~ Saturday, 13 May 2017

Is it too late to start again to start over to stop and start over

control my fall to land safely to break my fall to halt to start again

ascend to feel the sun I look below to see how far I must descend

relax to rise higher to feel the heat to see how far I can hover

under duress I must confess I am falling ever so fast stop stop

stop my rapid descent I dive into darkness into despair I plunge

higher higher higher until sunshine melts wax feathers flutter I fall

until I plunge enter the sea hard as marble I dive beyond my ken

broken I die my skull shatter my bones batter never will I ascend

rise up lift me higher salty the sea my mind without a word to say

if I listen I hear I am legend in death in life my flight I drop

shimmer icy dusty comet azure brilliant blue sky I scream I lunge 

mask my terror enter the sea I dive I plunge I scream I lunge I call

your name father before I die before my death I fall I drown I hear

tin drum battle cry fly not too high nor too low into the sun the sea

how did I fall the heat the salt the sun the sea I dive into the bay

o gods you name the sea after disgrace my fall hubris I die I fear

silence the wine-dark sea swallow me whole legend I am now free

Achtzehn: Devil at My Heels ~ 2016 2 24

Runners run in any weather, any weather at all, whether or not 

Under threat of snow, rain, sweltering heat, they sweat and stink, like pink grapefruit. 

Never never never underestimate will power to overcome dark 

Night, bright daylight, high noon in June, July, August, the summer months, hard fought 

Each day, ten miles, up to twenty, the maximum before the marathon. 

Race twenty-six point two wisely, for the weather matters not to runners. 

Rippling muscles, tense, tight, micro-tears, injury, stress, strain, welcome the pain, 

Argue with the body all you want, rest your bones, your weary bones, no doubt 

Creatures of habit run themselves ragged, muscles twitch, trigger points set sparks, 

Inflame tissues, burn red referral pain the length, breadth of a pound of flesh. 

Never never never underestimate pain to switch sides, dusk to dawn 

Gut-wrenching pain, over compensation, betrayal, bodies torn asunder. 

Singular intention, focus fiercely, finish the race to run again 

Each year until you dead, a living, breathing corpse, zombie road runner, shoes 

Alight, aflame, the heat of Arizona, dry burning sky, burning bright 

Season after season, dig in ultra-distance, mileage is such a rush. 

Only when you done, dead dog tired, muscles twisted, feel the pain, sing the blues, 

Never never never underestimate drive to quench a thirst in drought. 

--

ABCADE FBCGDE FHIGHI

--

Rui Carlos da Cunha

2016 February 24