Day Spa

To finally close the door on it all,
albeit only for a short while,
and to step barefoot onto the wet tiles
of a room holding only heat and steam.

Then to sit on a hard marble slab,
breathing in, breathing it out.
Every weeping pore a hissing valve,
releasing a pressure that had been
building for too long.

And later, reclined in muted light by a pool,
I wonder about all of you here with me.
So seemingly deranged and confused
in towel robes and damp slippers.

Those of you managing to stay awake
stare in apparent desperation at an
empty space just beyond your noses.

But this is not a sanatorium from history’s dark pocket.
We are just tough little kernels,
ground down by the pestle and mortar of life.

And for a moment today, we all - for a
little while at least
felt better.