Edward Riederich
Walking the Taxiway
At a small airport in Ritzville, Washington on 9/5/22
I walked the taxiway, not a plane in sightÂ
I walked that taxiway in my darkest nightÂ
With the dim blue lights on either sideÂ
Under the Lord's wings I would abideÂ
My legs felt encircled by concrete
I walked by faith but I sensed defeat
26 steps followed by 26 tearsÂ
26 minutes felt like 26 yearsÂ
At that moment it seemed that time did stopÂ
As deep inside my broken heart would dropÂ
Dead and dry grass was lying all aroundÂ
Not even a lone sparrow made a soundÂ
It's like heaven stopped and listened to meÂ
I was not hidden to Jesus you seeÂ
I walked slowly and stared blankly aheadÂ
When all that surrounded myself was deadÂ
Many cracks I noticed in the pavementÂ
There were cracks in my voice as I would ventÂ
These rivers of sorrow filled up my eyesÂ
As a kernel falls to the ground and diesÂ
I walked the taxiway, not a plane in sight
I walked the taxiway in my darkest nightÂ
At that airport in that forgotten ghost town
I determined trials would not take me down