Ahead of Mr. Stays

The warmth lingers but soon is gone 

with remnants of the prior good slipping across asphalt

Past stop signs that remain stationary and designated one ways

But the slip goes its own way and moves despite our bridle aims

(How feeble our tried controlling)

As gone, it goes again further

In the empty made past, the cold reigns and creeps to rub those left

Who sought and hold onto what made the prior great

Then to he who looks down and stays

And holds roses in full, thorns breaking as deep as it is embraced

He bleeds with knowing what pain that is this grip

To hurt himself in hope what was the good, persists

But she walked (as they all walked) in the wake of what he does not grasp:

To persist he too must go

To be good is to go

With the warmth that slips and the cold that creeps

Down that road where they've gone ahead

So fit in their endeavor, found warmth for themselves

and with able men who move past signs and walk their own way

fighting cold with a coat of weathered callouses

See as he perceives, naked but stained in thorns

Still standing the ill as all the rest go on across

With the last of that linger with a grip bleeding steady dumb

Relief in seeing the fire of women who lived on