On Exceptionally Clear Evenings You Can See The Bottom Of The Barrel

                  Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the Americas.
                  Taken from the Brooklyn side in August of 1995.

It was not a contemptuous disregard for the consequences
like his family and friends assumed
He often gave himself insightful, appropriate advice
Based on a clear perception as to the cause of his problem
He just never grasped the truly insidious nature
Of the affliction

So he ran
Again and again
From one imbalance to another
Hoping beyond hope to feel
Normal

To be able to engage in a conversation without rambling
Or be at a loss for words
To be able to acknowledge the similarities
And to appreciate the differences
To be able to enjoy the silence of a quiet moment
While relishing the sound of every voice

He knew people he regarded as normal
They lived normal lives doing normal things
Never feeling out of place, never feeling out of sorts
Always able to reckon with whatever came their way
The pathology of such behavior eluded him