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The Progress of a Myth

By Mark J. Mitchell
Spring 2021 | Poetry

The first time,

he tried to stop it.

He pressed his suffering shoulder

against the rough stone

and dug his heels deep.

You can still see the traces

like wheel ruts left

by forgotten chariots.

The next million times

he raced it

to the valley floor thinking

he might catch it,

might put an end to things.

The footprints trace

both sides of the path.

He could never settle on one.

Now, he just watches it.

He judges the sound,

the quality of the rumble,

praying for erosion.

Then he raises his tired bones

and starts his slow walk

to the foot of the hill.

There’s no reason not to.

Mark J. Mitchell has been a working poet for forty years. His latest full length collection is Roshi: San Francisco published by Norfolk Press. He lives with his wife, the activist, Joan Juster. A meager online presence can be found at https://www.facebook.com/MarkJMitchellwriter/. A primitive web site now exists: https://mark-j-mitchell.square.site/. He sometimes tweets @MarkJMitchell_Writer.


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