99poems/newpath

NEW PATH

I am exhilarated
by my new path,
and vow to change
it every day.
Which is what
I used to do.
But then I wasn’t
regular in any way,
and walking
was erratic.
I had a friend
once, who walked
the same route
daily. It made
me crazy to think
of it. She spent
thirty years – so far –
with one man, and
all their weekends
working.

I always needed
change myself,
I couldn’t help it.
But now I’ve
spent a decade
with the same man,
and I got consistent
in my walks by not
veering from
my path.

3/13/99