press on

press on into the yellowed darning
crush crisp linen with black seeds of hope, 
rebellion

bear the blood-proud child and 
spill wisdom wasted on his youth

baptize the boy by barrel 
starve scab and punish hunger herself

at noon point skyward
peel eyes toward the true and terrible

press on, into the yellowed darning, 
dear one

we have no other way about us