Running After Dry Wind

(Sestina)

The day he left, I ran after dry wind,

catching every breath at every stop or fall,

wiping my wet face so that I would see,

and then go back to running, only to feel numb

and tired—exhausted—after long hours of running

after the cold, invisible wind. That was the day he left.

The day he left, the wind was cold, invisible,

and dry as I felt, and I ran after it.

I was exhausted from hours and hours of running.

I stopped, fell, and caught breath.

I tried to run again, but I just felt so numb.

Dry as I felt, my face was wet, and I had to wipe it to see.

I was wet, and my tears covered my face wet.

I felt the cold, invisible wind when he left,

and it made me feel numb inside though I was running.

I ran after the wind when he left—I ran after nothing,

and catching every breath, I stopped and fell

because I grew tired after hours and hours of running.

I was tired from hours and hours of running.

Tears covered my face wet. I had to wipe it to see or else

I would stop and fall. I tried to catch my every breath though,

but the wind was just as cold and invisible as I felt the day he left.

The day he left, I ran after the wind.

Running again now would only make my feelings numb.

I felt numb. I felt nothing—I feel nothing now for running

for many long hours. I’m tired!

He’s gone! The day he left, he was gone. I ran after dry wind,

and the only thing wet that day was my face I had to wipe to see.

I saw: he went away and left only cold invisible wind

for me to catch my every breath whenever I would stop running or fall.

I’m now catching every breath that came from his wind,

though I feel too numb now to run again—

too numb to run after the cold wind which made him invisible.

I ran for hours already, and now, I’m tired,

and I need to wipe my tears away now.

The wind is very dry—dry as the day he left.

I am tired from running for hours.

It’s time to wipe my wet, teary face and see

that he’s already gone. No use running after dry wind.