the steps

his hair, blown white
with years.
steadying himself on the park
steps
leading up
to where the ridge lay,
where the water began,
the ducks moved
silently along the blue.
he climbed,
stopping halfway, then
continued.
it didn't seem that long ago
when he ran up
these steps.
then back down to do it again.
when he reached the top,
he took a deep breath and looked
out
across the sunlit water.
nothing had changed.
the world
looked the same.
everything had changed.