Benjamin: Two Hundred Tries Later

Benjamin: Two Hundred Tries Later

This is me
In my happy loneliness
Miles traversed
Surrounded
Supported
Forgiven
Forgotten
Remembered for what I've done
And perhaps, maybe,
Just maybe,
Who I am.
Remembered,
But on my own.

Alone at the finish line

And why?

Because adults get married
While children play pretend
Holding the hand of an imaginary friend
Staring across at all that time
On the other side of the finish line

So, who am I?
To stand here alone
As I cross the threshold?
I am the last kid on the playground
The last one to put away the finger paint
The last one to wake up from nap time,
Because dreams will always be better than reality
At least the naive dreams of a child

At least

I am me
And a child
Is who I choose to be

Stepping up to,
But refusing to cross
The finish line

So when the rest step across
And head home
To the next chapter

I'll sit here
Keeping their place
Along the other side of the line
For whenever they come to visit