Distinctness: Addled by a Change in Fortune

Feeling like a Picasso painting:
Arms and legs everywhere,
Nose, mouth, face
All over the place;

Fragmenting this way and that,
Shrapnel flying in every direction,
Moving so fast,
Change rushing past;

But all so unevenly,
One bit here,
Another bit there,
It’s so confusing,

Not sure which way to jump
Or whether to freeze,
Hopping forward a little one minute
And next holding fast against the breeze;

From no or few possibilities
To unbalancing overabundance,
Fearful alterations in fortune,
Unexpected and unprepared for;

Not long ago falling of a cliff,
Now climbing back up cautiously,
Testing every crack and crevice
Before putting hand or foot in it

And even then, standing in hesitation
Before daring to put any weight on,
Breathing in relief when
The support proves to be real

But then pausing and waiting
Before starting all over,
Still hesitant to take another step
Lest this tiny success turn out to be a dream,
And only after carefully deliberation, trying again.