The Expansion of Experience

My house overlooks a park          
that fills my windows          
with children's laughter  
 
This morning an elderly couple  
sat quietly on the bench  
before birds woke  
 
their weight palpable  
 
She leaned into his shoulder  
as he pulled her close  
his head atop hers  
 
The Death Angel leaned  
against a tree enjoying a cigarette  
in no hurry to start the day  
 
or perhaps end the evening  
 
He Glanced up at me briefly  
tipped his Fedora, morning mist  
spilling from his exhale  
 
Why not this time, I thought  
I'm ready . . .  
 
At least take them together  
 
He smiled  
knowing I'm fully aware  
it's not the way of things  
 
I've never pretended to agreed  
with the way of things  
only accepted them as they are:  
 
The Expansion of Experience  
born of our own Choice  
 
This thought process ensures  
peace and happiness  
without attachment  
 
Which isn't to be confused  
with sorrow accompanying wisdom  
 
All these before-birth blueprints  
interlocking with everyone else's  
Creating Momentary Realities  
and Alternate Universes  
 
We observe awestruck  
sometimes painfully the  
meteor shower of circumstance  
 
Like now,  
 
the old man standing  
leading the woman into  
the wide-open mouth of sunrise  
 
It was like watching  
ending credits of a movie  
 
As they passed the swing set  
I thought about 'The Wish Mind'*  
attempting to define Eternity:  
 
Or maybe it’s the dominating  
see-saw in the center  
of the playground,  
whose rusty fulcrum squeals  
to the children:  
Life is long, William.  
Life is short, Kate.  
 
To Live without waste  
is to wish for nothing  
outside of what Is  
 
Yet, sometimes it's difficult  
to figure out what Is is  
without the Loyalty of a Friend  
 
We close doors to Self  
embrace Solitude  
Live our Lives alone  
in the presence of the Universe  
 
As I'd always done  
for lack of Trust  
 
As fractals of light confettied  
the room via multicolored crystals  
what was seemingly enormous  
became suddenly comforting  
 
Right about the moment Death  
shadowing the couple  
turned back and winked  
 
In that second, I understood  
beyond my own shadow of doubt
exactly why I'd been left          
         
~          
         
         
         
*'The Wish Mind'          
 ~ John Skoyles          
         
https://johnskoyles.org/poems/the-wish-mind/          
         
Dedicated to my Best Friend,JohnnyBlaze,  
for his Loyalty and ever- Faithful Understanding