Moving On

caution's discarded veil

a relic of hope

two things from my wallet

I've been carrying for too long

one pouched between plastic 

the other in the pocket where cash used to sit

black camo face mask

for a closely guarded breath

laminated membership card

for a party that was briefly mine

                     *

like Fox Mulder looking skyward

I wanted to believe

we are all in this together

but the air down here is thin 

getting thinner 

gonna take me to the flatlands 

where lies don't salt the earth

and those that speak them

are required to hunt in plain sight

without masks

breathing the same air

as you and me

August 2023