owing nothing

it's not
the ladder you're
climbing.
or the heat,
the slant
of the roof.
the clouds above
you,
the bees
below.
it's not your
feet on
the rungs,
your hands
unshackled
from where
you came from,
or the bucket
and brush you
carry.
it's more than
than any
of that.
it's how
well you sleep
at the end
of a hard day
owing nothing
to anyone.