Carousel

I want to feel the winds
of pain and joy,
of knowing and not knowing,
of emptiness and fullness,
of solitude and communion,
of love and hate,
of trust and betrayal;

I want to feel them
rush into my face,
ruffling my staid existence,
stirring me up
to the flying edges
of my sheer bubble,
pushing me to scream
to want to hold on
and let go at once;

I want to close my eyes
and feel the ecstasy
of what it is
to open my whole self
to life, until
it is time to get off -
to stand and watch
the empty carousel
spin slowly
into the fading light.