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Two Poems for the Beginning Time

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Begin Again (a villanelle)
There comes a time when
you must shatter shell;
you begin again.

Egg was good, but you’ve a yen
for life after the cradle.
There comes a time when

beckons world beyond your ken.
To remain would be fatal.
You begin again.

Peck a crack in prison
and inhale for a yell.
There comes a time when

wings of borning raven
grow cramped until
you begin again.

Come out, my gangly wren,
ostrich, owl, or eagle.
There comes a time when

you begin again.
 
 
The beginning of the path to there
 
It has been said,
“Way will open,”
and also, “You
must first knock
on all the wrong
doors.” Someone else
assured, “When you follow
your bliss, doors will
open where there were
none before.” And yet
another advised: “Traveler,
there is no path; paths are
made by walking.” And so I
can’t tell you whether
way will slam shut,
leaving you to pull a
bruised finger out
 
of the jam or a path
will clear itself ahead
for your feet to follow
desire. I can’t say
if you will have to
batter down the door
with bloodied fists
or watch it swing
wide on oiled hinges
at the magic of your
behest. But I can
promise you there will
be a door in the wall
somewhere; where your
feet are is the beginning
of a path to there.
 
 
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