WASH AWAY THE DUST
Life is full of dirt and detours.
We awake clean and dry.
Then, it happens.
The bus is late.
The horns sound.
We have to walk a long distance
in order to catch the boat to the mainland.
Then, we can’t find the guide.
When we do, our language is her second.
The streets are full of dirt and dust
and the sidewalks are full of broken stones.
Our old knees and backs
strain to keep up.
When we reach the bus,
it is always the one two blocks away.
We pray it isn’t like the ferry
that rocked back and forth.
It made us regret the drinks
we shouldn’t have drunk.
Once we catch the bus,
the ride seems never ending
as it plies its way
down winding streets
and cobblestones.
By the time we arrive,
another pass is required for entrance,
and our bodies are covered in dust
before the day is half done.
Our old bones
creak
and we wonder if they will ever work again.
We remember Marcus Aurelius
who advised us to
“wash away the dust of earthly life”.
What will I do to accomplish that?
Then, in the distance,
I see 4 majestic parrots on perches
close enough to touch.
I see her,
a majestic Scarlet,
and she jumps to my hand
as if recognizing a friend.
She preens for me
and stares with understanding
that I am a human who needs to wash the dust away.
She knows she is the cleansing agent
She knows that I need to escape earthly problems.
I am at peace.
I am ready for sleep.
I am ready for a new day
to wash the dust away.
Rick Georges 02/28/2020
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