© May 8, 2015 by Swami X

  

I draw back my bow

My single-mindedness

Plugging my ears

to the laughs

of those who think

my skill nonexistent

 

In the past

I’ve been distracted

By beautiful birds

flying above the target

By conversation heard

from the crowd

By the grumbling in my belly

from hunger unfed

I’ve never even hit the target

Let alone the bullseye

But this time is different

I’ve faced my last distraction

Eye to eye

And bid it farewell

Finally ready to focus

On my target

The tension on the bow

reaches its zenith

as the light touch

of the feather’s ends

tickle my two curled fingers

Arrow                        Ready to fly                        At my command

My surroundings

Become a blur

As the target

Comes into sharp focus

The small yellow circle

In its center

Stares at me

Like a yellow pupil

dilated

in love

Because she sees

I only have eyes for her

Her magnetic pull

Draws me through

This magic portal

To her soul

I have no doubt

I will penetrate deeply

into her center

where my arrow will remain

I want to stay there forever

In the certainty of my bullseye

But I must release my arrow

For this knowing

To be embraced

By all

One final inhale

Close my eyes for a moment

A lifetime

Feel at peace…

Open them

–and she is gone

The target has been removed

 

Taking too long

They lacked faith

That this time was different

judging my skill

from past performance

where I’d always

missed the mark

They didn’t even

Give me a chance

I release the tension

Disengage my arrow

…look at sky

…down to ground

…shake my head

Crestfallen

 

In my heart

I was a marksman

But no one was there

To be a witness

she left before

I could prove my mastery