Walking

..


walking into a store, a tree,
a trap. walking in the way of
a car. the nerd’s rapid scuttling movement,
to the next class. shadowy tiptoes – to peek
at that delicious love letter. walk, just walk
don’t look back, we’re being followed.
that purposeful corporate-walk in the city square,
and many broken shoe heels.
stride, strut, swagger. sneakers meant
for lounging into rooms like you own them. sneakers
for your nonchalance on the sidewalk.
nonchalant, and suave. and sexy.
walk the walk like you mean it.
attitude. in the acid clicks of your
venom-tipped heels on the ramp.
pliant. slow. each soft quasi-step
like a smothered rose, or
a drop of blood. each step
a searing, hissing desert sandbite
in the walk of death, to him who walked
alone to midian. gaunt Atlas takes
each Goliath-step, aeons apart.
civilization crawling
to the cruel laughter of stars.
prostrate. and yet
alive in the first steps of new blood,
the first steps that kiss a free land.
look the Empire in the eye
and do not budge – we walk defiance.
take those steps into Her clawed winds
and Her shrieking cyclonic rage. you will not
sink into the snow. you will not
be silenced by the rust,
or tossed the remains of an identity
for rent. you will not die, if you

walk strident.
walk silent.