Cliff Jumping
A Fool now stands before me.
He also stands a side a cliff that sprouts dripping orchids and noisy dogs.
My voice has been cut out, like paper Marché dolls, my vocals are laid out in a strand
of folded stars, and they no longer work. The cliff is the only one speaking, in a soft
whisper; it gently urges the fool to jump. The Fool and I can see pieces of what the
jump would undertow. We see no trails or signs, just jagged rocks and a vicious
sea. The Fool moves one foot closer to the cliff, one foot away from me. My breath
feels sharp now, jagged rocks have possibly taking room in my lungs as well. And I
wondered what my lungs would feel like if this Fool would jump. His eyes are
focused on mine, and they flicker. Candles are lit in them and the wind of that
vicious ocean below is stirring the flame wild. This Fool is much smarter then I
thought, his eyes explain it all. This Fool wants me to go in after him. He knows that
with each step he takes, I’ll take one too. What if I followed the footsteps over the
cliff, let them fall downwards towards a man eating sea? What would my
consequences entitle? Death? Broken spine and ligaments? As of now my voice is
mute and apparently my free will is in mobile. So I stand before a fool that is my
ruler, and I can only contemplate jumping or staying a shore. What have my
ancestors done in the past, when they were up against decisions much like mine?
Do I know any predicaments where they have jumped like an eye- gutted sheep
over edge to lead a life of inactive living or no life at all? I think back to my great
uncles and great, great grandmothers…and no…I can’t say they ever jumped. I can
say when they have reached this point…they’ve fought. They’ve held their breath
until their blood boils and allowed it to over flow, waking up the spirits of war.
They’d slaughter the sheep before ever becoming it. And walked away for the fool
to be its own man and take his steps in solitude. Yet, I can not hold my breath in
front of the fool, and my blood still cooks at 98 degrees. The war Gods are still
perched upon their clouds looking down at me like they do to the rest of the frozen
few. And if this were to be a dream, would I wake up to a feeling any better. I
would hope. My father would tell me to pray, my mother would tell me to let go, and
I would stand still and pretend to know what to do.
Copyright © Sam Gillespie | Year Posted 2011
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