The Long Way Back

The Long Way Back

The long way back has tired feet
From the floor from which I rise
To the steps that keep moving forward
No one says getting up is easy
But at least I am standing
Willingly and moving ahead.

Drowning in an endless sea
I struggle to break the surface
Gasping for air I’m surrounded
By people too busy to care
I want to see the sky
And rise above it all.

The long way back takes too long
My bad math counts more misery
Than any blessings I have
Lucky to get enough to eat
Sleep somewhere comfortable
And barely get by at all.

Keep searching the scene for work
And getting passed over
By keyword filters or managers
Who can’t be bothered to read
Tossed aside like waste paper
Goes my resume and hope.

The long way back goes on and on
Seemingly with no end in sight
Thoughts and prayers are said
Going unanswered in silence
So I close my eyes hoping
Tomorrow I wake without tears.

Copyright © 2023 Charles Edward York
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