Chasing the Light
By Allison Douglas-Tourner
In dreams he stands on the
other side of a banquet room
too far away to hear or notice me
the guests all dressed in darkness
light seeping from collars and cuffs
On rare occasions he hitches
a ride with people on the street
I saw him yesterday
walking down Douglas Street
his long stride and big hands
He was wearing the cardigan
that Mom knitted for his birthday
chocolate brown with gold snowflakes
his dark hair smoothed back
like a robin’s crown
A Christmas brightness
kindled my heart and
I ran calling Dad! Dad!
But striding fast –
he didn't seem to hear
He stopped at the corner
waiting for the turn of the light and
I came so close
But by the time I touched his arm
he had already crossed over and
a stranger stood in his shoes
Allison Douglas-Tourner dreamed of being a poet at the age of three but only started writing seriously about ten years ago.
Her poetry has been published in The Wise Owl, The Antigonish Review, Island Writers' Magazine, Tiferet Journal Anthology, and Pensive Journal, as well as numerous international haiku journals. She lives in Victoria, BC, Canada where she draws inspiration from the magic of everyday moments.