After The Minotaur

The steps down to the labyrinth

narrow, steep

light up as each innocent

descends. The ladder lights up

immediately as their descent begins

so of course the ladder was there

all the time, it's there all the time

but it takes the touch

of human flesh, hands on

on the topmost rung to make it

light up. And once lit it stays lit

marking the descent

of the innocents, one by one

and we cannot help but see

the full extent of it

one steep journey made of individual steps

innocents descending individually

one rung at a time

each with his or her back to us

(you cannot descend a narrow ladder

while facing the audience)

so we can see only the back

of each innocent as he or she

descends, a journey by its nature

self-effacing, and we, the audience, know

as he knows, as she knows

there is no turning back.

Yes, there is twisting and looking over

a shoulder, yes, even looking up briefly,

pointlessly looking up, pointlessly,

but no turning back from what waits

at the foot of the ladder.

ALICE KAVOUNAS