Familiarity

 Familiarity

Lesser known would draw very little

to the surface.

The purpose is enlightenment;

not the fight no one wants to win

really.

Ideally,

one should appear

as near to the memory

as they are in proximity.

Make better use of the vicinity

and let the moments

have a moment

to measure what space remains.

I find that the bind

in these invisible chains

is the invincible space between.

Such a firm purchase

one could only hope to ever glean

a fading, precious glimpse of

yet we dismiss the connection outright

if it is not in plain sight

or our underwhelming definition of such.

Somewhat disturbing to know

that it doesn't take much

commitment to precision

before we fall back on derision.

We downplay.

We despise.

We avert or roll our eyes.

We dig in deep to appear hurt

as if betrayed by a vision

that we're convinced should be on display

whether or not we've even done the work

and therein lies the rub:

If they were vines,

one would tug until they break away;

leaving room for one to say

that the other was at fault

but such a wall isn't vaulted so easily

and conceiving such means with the unknown

won't bring about a softer landing

or a less frightening fall.

It's the chain you know

that won't bend when you lean.

It won't give when you pull.

You'll grip.

You'll squeeze

and tussle with this truth

without acknowledging the meaning

and when the scrapes burn, 

you will return to what you know

but are too stubborn to believe in

only because your palms are bleeding.

Devin Joseph Metz

6.16.21