Stenciled on Cathedral Stairs by Roger Suffling

Poem name: Stenciled on Cathedral Stairs Poet name: Roger Suffling Poem begins: 30.  To the stars? 29.  Try the elevator, glide 28.  So, why don’t we 27.  Ascend 26.  Blind bound clones 25.  We ribosomal pilgrims 24.  Treading worn templates 23.  Permutating mantras 22.  Thus we plod the helix faithfully 21.  Thighs whimper in the discipline 20.  As we seek the promised vista 19.  No, tread every one 18.  Don’t miss a step  17.  Don’t look down 16.  Don’t look out 15.  But we’re urged on by those above 14.  ‘How much further?’ 13.  Now     we     gasp       exasperation    12.  Tempted to   sit    here         Yet we squeeze inward, let them pass 11.  Open to the sky but secret 10.  Above the city’s roofs 9.    We glimpse Screwtape vignettes 8.    As the out side flails, useless, unnerved 7.    Inner hand clasps the reassuring spine 6.    Arced in narrow, ancient slivers 5.    Cold stone 4.    Cleaving to mortared DNA 3.    Groping starlight 2.    You and I 1.    We’re tendrils End of poem.  Credits and bio: Copyright © Roger Suffling Previously published in Morphrog 20 (January, 2020). Roger Suffling is an ecologist living in Kitchener, Ontario. His recent work has been published in Alternatives Journal, Morphrog, Poetry Pause and Shot Glass Journal.