He runs…

Running
over the meadow
to the welcoming hills.
Up one side.
Down the other.
Still running.
Why does he run?
Reality cannot be avoided.
Yet still he runs.
And as he runs
tears stream down his anguished face.
Still he runs
even harder.
If only he could lift
the crushing weight
that threatens to choke him.
He slows.
Rational thought finally rises
to the surface.
He stops
so suddenly
he almost falls.
And in catching his breath
he turns
and starts to run back
to another painful day.
He remains strong.
He must always be strong.
Dawn breaks
as he reaches home
and reality.
He showers
and puts his running shoes
away.

Joe Wilson – He runs…2016