2nd Stanza - Ben LaMar Gay

Dark is the night

Cold is the ground

Blind is he

Our fugitive advances through the darkness relying mainly on touch

For years his hands have only encountered lifeless objects of prison

Now with every brush of a tree

He can feel the backwoods breathing

The retraction of her bosom induces euphoria

And a sense of intimacy

That hasn’t been felt since the first time he laid down with the mother of his

son

He felt foolish for forgetting how wonderful the living feels

The night stars were a no-show up above

Just the glow of fireflies attracting their mates for the evening

The intimate hour the insect kingdom is rudely interrupted by frantic strides

of a fugitive

Silence arisis suddenly amongst the insect lovers

From his unexpected presence