Pamplona

It’s after midnight

Pamplona greets us with open arms

Streets typically empty and silent

Not tonight

Celebration’s prelude of tomorrow’s chase

 

Sangria overflowing

I’m floating inside my glass

Swimming not drowning

But drowning in this glass may not be such an unpleasant thought

At least, just for tonight

 

Handshakes, hugs, more filled glasses

A feeling this will never end

Smiles from street to street

Greet to greet

I wonder if the bulls also have smiles on their faces right now

 

Dawn will awake

Sometime soon or off in the distance

I can’t tell

But at that time

I will see if my courage is there

To run through the streets

The chase of a lifetime

Or if not

Watch from the sidelines

With regret nipping at my heels

 

Originally posted August 1, 2015

I Can’t Catch My Breath

I can breathe

But I can’t catch my breath

I run after it in silence, a chase

Silence’s heartbeat begins to pulse

It grows louder the faster I run

I realize running won’t help me, I stop

I huddle underneath imagined tables that no one can see but me, hiding

On the ground, legs pulled up against my chest, head buried in my knees, eyes closed

And I wait

Wait for the noise to subside

It takes time, but it does

Silence doesn’t hurt anymore, for now

I can hear air in my lungs, I breathe

I exhale plumes of fear and hesitation

And I realize

I still can’t catch my breath

 

Originally posted September 5, 2015