Turning Blue

Nicholas Allison

November 17, 2024

For a moment,
I considered change—
a flicker of curiosity
pressed against my borders.

But the tired two-step is easier
than learning a new waltz.
Five decades have taught me
to hold familiar hands,
to hum old songs
in a voice steady with habit.

We build walls around ideas here.
I’ve heard the whispers,
felt their pull—
something loose, unformed,
waiting to take shape.

Maybe someday.
But for now,
I keep spinning,
tracing the same worn paces,
letting the dust settle
where it always has.

Nicholas Allison lives in Austin, TX with his family and two weird dogs. He has roamed the globe as both a soldier and civilian, collecting experiences that now find their way into his poetry and musings, which can be found at thetruthabouttigers.com, if you’re into that sort of thing.