November

Now slouched, mind folded in the pew,

how should, could, would I face the day?

Might we, crept wonder - body, soul,

just for today, join, take that dare?

Yet next door, sitting on the bench.

a paper slip, fold over once,

and as I glared, well, it stared back.

I caught blue hint, like secret ink,

and then I knew, it had caught me;

what did it hold, secreted codes?

But I unbent to seek for more.

Torn, as if on old parchment borne,

those words, as writing on the wall,

that hand dictated terms “I will”.