Valence

As his hands threw the net
His mind drifted away
Fragments of voices, faces, words
Yet each, having passed, was like a dream.

Leaving echoes that brought others to life
A churning current carried him along
And barely noticing them writhe
The man pulled the fish out one by one.

In the mountain's shade his shins grew numb
As stung fingers drew the final net
Within the lake, he heard a hum
And saw colours dance beyond the shoals.

Its form seemed without boundary
Its message without words
Yet it whispered of his glory
And endless joys to hold.

If only you could reach me
The others would admire
If only you could grasp me
The struggle would expire.

Without heed without a doubt
He slogged into the lake's expanse
Resisting as he waded out
The water grew around him.

But all those steps would lead to nowhere
His motion masked futility
For all the effort he could bear
That thing would come no closer
His motion masked futility
For all the effort he could bear.

Its form seemed without boundary
Its message without words
Yet it whispered of his glory
And endless joys to hold.

The zeal drained into regret
Had he been down this path before?
Each time, it seemed, he would forget
That it would never resolve.

So, giving up, he turned away
But once again would find
That each and every move he made
Would simply bind him tighter.

But all those steps would lead to nowhere
His motion masked futility
For all the effort he could bear
That thing would come no closer
For all the effort he could bear.

Recursion without resolution
Purpose to justify itself
Boundless striving, fear and passion
To end in nothing, as it started.

Perception collapsed around the shore
Where he could not believe
A fisherman, once lost in thought
Was staring back, and through, him.

And as the man came ever nearer
Both entangled one aware
He mouthed a warning none could hear
And sank into the silt.