Systema

Systema
I walk in the shadows of a man who stands in the shadows of greater men
He holds a lantern that casts light only on what surrounds me
I cannot see my hand three inches in front of my face
but I can vividly describe my surroundings and
they are lush!
the greenest vines cascading down trees that are greener still
canopies and branches and roots and dirt
and yet all this flickers as the lantern swings
I only catch passing glimpses beyond my wireframed memory
my recollection
my estimation
these colors fill in the blanks that fill this page
and the rest are lines
dotted like morse code
being sent through telegraphs
to deliver an important message to someone so far away
about something so close to home
I will tell him that of this place
but he will never see it
and sadly, neither will I
not in its full glory
not until I cannot describe it
not until it's too late
and that time can't come soon enough, it seems.