Breathing

He takes another labored, raspy breath; there’s spittle in the corner of his mouth. The veil between this life and certain death is stretched transparent like a piece of gauze. His semiconscious mind would seem adrift, inspects the gossamer for tiny flaws. The voices from behind him ring a bell, and yet he knows the path is up ahead. A break among the trees reveals a dell; he grins, leans in, and takes his final breath. ————— for the B Forms and Words Poetry Contest sponsored by Sotto Poet checked with HowManySyllables.com written on 03/04/23