from the edge

& she holds back
in fear of losing the footing gained;
afraid to reach out & grasp
what pulls so strongly
her near.
& i love her innocence, she’s
unaware that stepping that last foot
forward to kiss the known-to-be edge
is far from that end she fears.
[safety net out-stretched].
sometimes, darling, it’s not the climb
but that free-fall that occasionally follows
that becomes the truest climax.

& she withholds that next step,
the mystery tension, a great high,
afraid of losing it all,
yet she’s loving every minute in its light.
i smile realizing
this pull closer is the light bulb
that still has not ignited and once lit
that curiosity of “what if?”
will continue to burn
until it isn’t a “what if” but an “is”.

darling, just traveling these paths
we wander in our minds afoot,
will not weaken that force
that pulls us together.
it will only illuminate the next
bulb awaiting further down the hall.
she hesitates & i cannot help
but to smile.

silly girl, the best view
is from the very edge.
what will be will be.
fear is good;
it reminds us how alive
we truly are, at that very moment;
reminds us how precious
& short the journey can be
if left dangling a “what if”.

i could feel no less dancing around it
than i could feel free-falling further into it.
(for doll, we already are, always have been.)