Peripheral Vision

By Douglas G. Campbell

Focusing 

Setting goals 

is an obsession 

that pushes 

motivates my 

breathing my 

walking my 

eating 

it captures my nights 

shoves sleep aside 

creates anxiety 

bottles stress 

and fills my calendar 

with good things 

I must do 

to work out my 

vision my 

purpose my 

destiny 

but I do not want 

to be lost 

consumed by obsession 

so driven that 

all edges converge 

upon one myopic 

constricted center 

even now 

I barely remember 

the cicadas' song 

the heron's flight 

_____________________________

Douglas Campbell is an artist and poet. He lives in Portland, Oregon and is Professor Emeritus of Art at George Fox University where he taught painting, printmaking, drawing and art history courses. You can see Douglas’ artwork at: http://www.douglascampbellart.com