THE TORCH BEARER

After the price was paid and the journey done,

somewhere along the line,

when all was deathly calm, the river still flowed,

and on her bank stood the torchbearer,

the ubiquitous, silent witness of history,

uninvolved, but sad,

pointing his finger at the signs and marks

of the ruinous passions and blind surrender to wrath.

There are times and spaces where history is enacted

and leaves an indelible mark,

and somewhere along the line,

the torchbearer pauses, grievous and sad.