Chasing the sunset



I was travelling west
chasing the sunset
days were not quite long enough and any extension was welcome
but I never quite seemed to run fast enough
and though I ran faster and faster
and days became longer and longer
the sun would each day
slip inexorably below the horizon

At one point on my journey
just at dawn, or just at sunset
I could never quite remember
I stopped to rest at a road-side cafe
and by chance I met a woman going east
chasing the dawn
trying to make the nights shorter

Her name was Magic
and she carried a staff in her right hand
she wore a yellow cat-suit and a green silken robe
and she was befriended by a black cat with a golden collar

We arranged to meet again,
and as I ran faster so did she
until finally on the dawn of one of our meetings
we both arrived, me from the east
she from the west
and collapsed exhausted in each other's arms

She was travelling east
impatient for the dawn
nights were too long
and any reduction was welcome

But she never quite seemed to run fast enough
and though she ran faster and faster
and nights became shorter and shorter
the hours would drag
the wolves would howl
the moon would light her footprints
and the shadows would fill her with fear

At one point on her journey
just at dawn, or just at sunset
she could never quite remember
she stopped to rest at a road-side cafe
and by chance she met a man going west
chasing the sunset
trying to make the days longer

His name was Poetry and he carried nothing
he was all but naked and befriended by no-one
they arranged to meet again
and as he ran faster so did she

Until finally on the dawn of one of their meetings
they both arrived as the day was breaking
and happiness danced about
like a smile that found its soul

(You see, I used to pray to live forever

but now I only pray to be a poet

and I travel west
chasing the sunset.)






Poetry by Andrew Bindon
Read 693 times
Written on 2009-11-20 at 13:28

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