Trampling through the nettles where the property descends Tallying the rotting stakes along the ditch-line bends The bypass hums a quarter-mile beyond the hazel trees Distributing commuters with an enviable ease My heavy brogues strike flint against the unhewn granite block A silent sentinel that keeps the acreage under lock A sudden tightness grips the ribs beside the hawthorn hedge Watching yellow headlamps sweep across the asphalt ledge Reluctant to advance, refusing to retreat Anchoring the ankles where the moss and gravel meet I Patrol The Granite Boundary While The Daylight Trickles Thin Sealing Every Trepidation And The Emptiness Within Shying From The Open Road Beyond The Rusty Sneck A fugitive who lingers on the margins of the wreck Pale lichen coats the slate upon the shaded northern flank Where creeping ivy suffocates the damp embankment bank A murky puddle catches my distorted silhouette A solitary sentry paying down an unmade debt Motorcars rush past the verge without a turning head Leaving me stranded on the narrow turf I tread A sudden tightness grips the ribs beside the hawthorn hedge Watching yellow headlamps sweep across the asphalt ledge Reluctant to advance, refusing to retreat Anchoring the ankles where the moss and gravel meet I Patrol The Granite Boundary While The Daylight Trickles Thin Sealing Every Trepidation And The Emptiness Within Shying From The Open Road Beyond The Rusty Sneck A fugitive who lingers on the margins of the wreck One stride across invites a dizzy drop into the deep A forfeit of the promises I never chose to keep So I pivot on the heel before the river vapors climb Trading all tomorrow for a measured waste of time Back toward the scullery, retreating to the flue Hiding in the corners where the shadows run on cue I Patrol The Granite Boundary While The Daylight Trickles Thin Sealing Every Trepidation And The Emptiness Within Shying From The Open Road Beyond The Rusty Sneck A fugitive who lingers on the margins of the wreck Tread along the margin, then reverse the step again Rattle down the hasp against the drizzle in the lane Slide the iron bolt Drop the brass latch Keep the sanctuary sealed Trip the quiet catch Nothing crosses past the boundary tonight
