The Moment Before the Fall
A Song of Forward Surge
Lo
the world tilts
a sudden whisper in the vast expanse
The hill rises before the feet
narrowing
steepening
calling
I stand poised upon the brink
the breath of motion
heavy in my veins
The atmosphere throbs with promise
electric with the drumbeat of what will be
Every fiber quivers with tension
and the quiet holds a thousand futures
The earth beneath waits
to gather speed
to launch
to become a river of light
And I a spirit stretched taut
between this instant and the plunge
feel the pull of what beckons beyond
the surge that will not be denied
Here the horizon folds
a gateway of flame and shadow
The pulse in the blood quickens
the soul leans forward
unstoppable relentless
The hill tilts
the world shifts
and I am ready to surrender
to the wild magnificent fall
the glorious unending dance
of forward
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 (1)
I've always wondered what it would be like to free fall but as someone deathly afraid of heights this poem made me queasy just imagining it. The vivid descriptions are spot on. Well done.