The Ancient
By Don Iannone

What's ancient runs deep
...echoing through time
and anything we think we know.
Somewhere
...buried out of reach
...in our deepest place
...the ancient lives
...in me and you.
Sharing the path
...leading us here
...and back--
to where we never left.
Like the mysterious star
we see each night
...that always disappears
...when we look at it too hard
...the ancient eludes us.
We saw the ghost last night.
Not directly though
...like ordinary things we see.
It followed us
...along the dark banks of the river.
We smelled it.
Like pungent fresh turned earth.
Ripe.
Fertile.
Ready.
We heard its drum
...beating like a heavy heart.
It's calling--
maybe us.
Definitely someone.
It must be time.
Someone must go.