Walking Inland

            As the story goes—
 
to achieve a long life and a peaceful death,
walk inland until the oar on your shoulder
 
becomes, not an oar, but a winnowing fan.
Only then will you understand: your lifetime
 
of steering is over. You’ll have no choice
but to acquiesce to what’s ahead. You’ll be
 
tossed up, into the winds where what happens
to you is not yours to determine. Your fall
 
will seem an eternity, during which time
you’ll further understand that what happens
 
to you is no longer you, and whatever
god you thought was yours to appease,
 
that task is complete now, your purpose
achieved. Even now—
 
                                    as your story goes.