August 2, 1977

The bridge was steep coming up

While groin pain exhorted me

To slow down

After all

I’d already won the race

The finish line had long since disappeared

Behind me

All that remained in memory

Were camera flashes

And the feel of invisible tape

Pressing against my chest

At the moment of impact

Giving way ever so easily

To the pure unaffected momentum

Of light speed

A cloudless sky filled the gaps

Between earthbound glances

Prophesying brightly

Unto the coming star

‘Slow down’

Exhorted the Holy Spirit

Each step was an aggravation of long-suffering

Painfully jolting its electric warnings

Below the belt

While I fought to restrain

The muscle memory impulse to accelerate

The journey had been long and hard

But over now

Completely accomplished

With undiminished resolve

Time to savor the victory to the max

To the last drop

As it were

It occurred to me

‘Gravity is lessening’

(Bridge tops do tend to incite weightlessness)

Ahead- things were flatter

Leveling out mercifully- at last

‘Turn around’

Whispered God to my obedient angel self

So I did

‘Happy Birthday’

Said God in His subtle way

A 747 was climbing out of JFK

Leaving its white vapor trail

As thunderous evidence of my rise

To God’s power

Without thinking

My eyes shifted level to the horizon

Just as the sun was about to end

Its evening wink

I stood motionless

Waiting on faith’s promised gift

Oblivious to the traffic’s noise on the Belt

Or anything else for that matter

‘Welcome to the Kingdom of God

My son’

With that said

The line between ocean and sky was pierced

As if punctured by some brilliant-gold laser beam

In a moment

All time became eternity

And I

Another of its masters

John Christopher

1978