Throwing Away the Compass (Harry Humes)

the streets led the usual way back
there was no reason to suspect
a god was angry and on the prowl
until the sky tilted and buildings folded
suddenly I was up to my blood
in all of it and going down
for maybe the last time
sinking in the most familiar straits of all
everywhere the world led was flat
and full of distance only nearby
first a hand then an arm shyly a face
the body soft in almost imagined beauty
came toward me bearing in delicate
swirls a shawl of sorts and left
I floated for days her eyes everywhere
her love still wrapped around my waist
when I reached at last a place
near home and came ashore dripping
with relief I should have remembered
to thank her at least for my life
though for her love there could be
no turning not a single look back.

(From August Evening with Trumpet, University of Arkansas Press)