Going Down



Birth is the apex,

the pinnacle,

the summit.


From the very beginning,

we fall.

With our first breath,

we begin slipping,

sliding downward

toward our demise.


The downslope—

steep for some,

shallower for others,

inevitable for all.


There is only one direction: down.


Down,

into shadows of despair,

down,

into realms of possibility,

down,

into clouds of uncertainty—

no way to steer clear.


Even as we fall,

we catch glimpses:

fleeting echoes of laughter,

footprints of dreams,

whispered tales

of times when we soared.


These glimmers of fleeting joy

remind us that even in our fall,

we have loved deeply.


For every tear shed,

there are smiles shared,

a vibrant fabric of memories

that softens the burden

of our inevitable decline.


Some struggle,

some resist,

many pray,

most attempt to persist—

perhaps slowing,

possibly delaying,

but never stopping

the descent.


Down,

careening into the void.

Down,

spiraling into bliss,

always downward,

ever downward.


Navigating shadows,

we hold hands,

find hearts to connect with,

reminders that we never

take the plunge alone.


We are tragic nomads

pondering the weight

of each choice we make

discovering context within the journey.


each step down

revealing something we hold dear

taking us downward

into deeper comprehension.


© 2025 Bruno Talerico  

Stafford challenge day 24/365.

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