Questionnaire

And was it what you expected, this journey?

(The petal with its cigarette burn at the heart)

Did you think you deserved more than the others?

(Those yellow shells on the beach. So many!)

Did you expect to arrive damageless at your destination?

Did you have a destination?

(The trees breathe in and out, the river, even the stones

breathe in and breathe out)

You expected to bear nothing

To lift your arms and bear nothing

To lift your arms, bearing nothing

Let us resume. Bearing nothing, you embarked on the journey.

(Rain and pebbles. English voices. Lilies-of-the-valley.)

Bearing nothing, you—but I bore everything. I bore what I had to bear.

Light and dark, I bore it. Though not with grace.

Did you expect grace? Did you travel gracefully?

(I expected clarity. With a few dance steps thrown in

for good measure.)

Did you discover, finally, what you expected?

(I discovered walking. I discovered, walking.

I, discovered walking, kept walking. I allowed myself

to be discovered. Nothing was as I thought it would be.)

Begin again. With different thoughts.