Don't Look Back

Don’t Look Back
By Brandon Palzkill

Thump, thump… thump, thump…

The woman makes her way home

after a long day;

thump, thump… thump, thump…

She walks down the sidewalk,

enveloped by the darkness;

thump, thump… thump, thump…

She walks alone,

but is she alone?

thump, thump, thump, thump...

The pavement pounds behind her,

echoing steps drawing nearer;

thump, thump, thump, thump…

She wants to turn and look behind,

but can’t bear what’s waiting;

thump, thump, thump, thump…

She quickens her pace,

trying to catch her speeding heart;

thumpthumpthumpthump…

Her follower matches her,

drawing nearer still;

thumpthumpthumpthump…

Breaking into a run,

hoping to outrace the devil;

THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP…

She panics, she screams;

does no one hear her?

THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP…

It’s too late, it’s caught her;

she turns to meet her fate;

THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP…

Nothing… nothing at all;

how could that be?

thump, thump, thump, thump…

She must have imagined it,

an auditory hallucination;

thump, thump, thump, thump…

Warm, glowing, blessed relief;

all is we-

thump, thump, thu…

In My Element

In My Element

By Brandon Palzkill

Through the waking darkness, I march,

with determination in my heart

and purpose in my footfalls.

The new day’s sun doesn’t know me, yet,

and I’m grateful for it;

the morning nighttime sky

offers stillness

and comfortable silence,

that the daytime clatter

will never know.

With every step, I am baptized

by cascading showers.

The rain’s milky haze catches the

ambient glow of the steadfast streetlamps

radiating ghostly coronas

that serve as beacons on my journey.

Millions of tiny falling drops

dance about the cooling concrete,

around me,

pooling; streaming;

amassing into many miniscule  rivers

racing to the bottom of the hill.

I am soddened by the downpour.

Moisture sloshes around in my shoes

with every treaded puddle,

as the soothing liquid

saturates my protective shell

seeps down to touch my flesh.

I let it wash over me

and everything becomes clear;

I feel all my troubles

leaking out of me with

the runoff,

and leaking down the storm drains;

I am content.

One Foot In Front of the Other

One Foot In Front of the Other

By Brandon Palzkill

I feel like I’ve missed a step, somewhere;

my destination seems further

than I had remembered it;

quite far beyond the reach

of my puny legs.

Still… I’ll move on;

keep going,

while I

can…