The Aged and The Unripe

(April 29, 2023)

the Aged speak unconsciously

differently than the Unripe speak

unconsciously

the Aged mutter flowingly

like a soothed bird

trilling

into a soothing wind

steady in its strata,

comfortable in its course,

familiar with itself, and acquainted

with its surroundings

the Unripe tumble

through vast skies

newly discovered and seemingly

infinite

the way the inside of an inverted bowl

might seem infinite

they grapple at words

the same way one grapples

at clouds and cliffs alike

asserting every one

as if unsure of its altitude and

reliability