HOLD FAST #2

Janelle Curlin-Taylor

February 14, 2022

Conversation with The Thread

William Stafford

There is a text:

"Feed the hungry, welcome the stranger

House the homeless, care for the sick"

This is my thread.

Will the thread keep me from the edge or

Will the thread lead me to the edge?

When I was young I hoped

The thread would lead me to the edge

Later in life I held on tight

Hoping the thread would keep me

from the edge.

I remind myself 

"while I hold the thread

I can't get lost"

Even though it goes

Among things that change.

This thread goes missing

When I am not mindful.

I always find it

At the edge.

In times of loss and fear

In days of chaos and despair

"Hold fast to your thread" I tell myself

Never grow weary of where the thread takes you.

As long as you live hold fast to your thread.

Odd Monday, 12/10/2021

Janelle CurlinTaylor’s poetry has appeared in the di-verse-City Anthology, Blue Hole, Best Austin Poetry 2018-2019, Waco Wordfest Anthology 2020 and 2021, Texas Poetry Calendar 2020, Tejascovido, Texas Poetry Assignment. She is married to California poet Jeffrey Taylor.