A Risky Journey--By Edilson Afonso Ferreira--Brazil

A Risky Journey

Sometimes I visit the past, long ago, perilous 

and suspicious a world.   

The road I take has been built entirely by me,   

in very hard a way no one at least dreams of.

Rough a path and full of so many deviations,

that even I, well used to, I go so timorous.  

Now, it is clear there were no other choices,

for only this way would lead me where I am.  

Where and what I must be ever since I was.

In this visit, I see friends, lovers, enemies,

grandfathers and cousins, see also myself.

They seem to be alive, naturally talking to me 

and asking for news and soon we are laughing,  

like old comrades who were absent for so long. 

On leaving, one or other intend to follow me,

but I go home alone.

I suspect that past is jealous of its deeds  

and hides from us how it has weaved them.

I think we must go there as few times

we are capable of.

Edilson Afonso Ferreira is a Brazilian poet who writes in English rather than Portuguese. Recent works have appeared in Red Wolf Journal, Right Hand Pointing, Whispers, Indiana Voice Journal, The Lake, Synesthesia, Every Day Poems, Dead Snakes, The Literary Nest, Mocking Heart Review, among others. He lives in a small town with wife, three sons and a granddaughter and, unhurried, is collecting his works for a forthcoming book. See some of his poems at www.edilsonmeloferreira.wordpress.com.