Followed

The wind
Blessing? 
Covers the sound of footsteps
Behind
Cold branches
Chatter with
The scraping of limb against limb
Knowing
That something follows
In the Dark

The wind lulls
Into silence
Briefly letting through the sound
Of
Stealthy footfalls
Closing
The space between.
Pine needles
And twigs
Define the narrowing margin

The wind
Again,
Sets the branches again to conversation
Perhaps
Laughter
As the unknown
Blackness
Approaches
Quickening youthful strides
Speed ahead on prayers of escape


Ken Goree