Before the Break Forward
in the instant where stillness cannot hold
The turn begins in the pause of a breath
where silence presses harder than sound
where light on the floor feels sharpened alive
as if everything you see has been holding a secret
You are inside the moment before surrender
a steadiness trembling at its own edge
the thought arrives so clear so unforgiving
and nothing around you can remain innocent
Colors shift their allegiance
fruit takes on the weight of origins
shadows stretch into hidden corridors
even the smallest detail dares you to admit
it has carried more meaning than you allowed
Your body knows faster than your mind
every vein lit every muscle braced
it is the second before sound becomes word
before wings strike the air
before grief lifts its gaze and names you
It burns this recognition
because the version of you that lingered
has already begun dissolving
another self-stranger and inevitable
is stepping forward through your skin
The tilt sharpens
you remain still yet everything inside
is already rushing downhill
About the Creator
Tim Carmichael
Tim is an Appalachian poet and cookbook author. He writes about rural life, family, and the places he grew up around. His poetry and essays have appeared in Bloodroot and Coal Dust, his latest book.
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Comments (2)
Beautiful work. I love it.
Ahhh, those last three lines.