My dear,

I always feel like running. Not away, because there is no such place. Because, if there was I would have found it by now. Because…

It’s easier to run. Easier than staying and finding out you’re the only one, who didn’t run.

Because running will be the way your life and mine will be described. As in “the long run.” Or as in having given someone a “run for his money.” Or as in “running out of time.”

Because running makes me look like everyone else, though I hope there will never be cause for that. Because I will be running in the other direction, not running for cover. Because if I knew where cover was, I would stay there and never have to run for it.

Not running for my life, because I have to be running for something of more value to be running and not in fear. Because the thing I fear cannot be escaped, eluded, avoided, hidden from, protected from, gotten away from; not without showing the fear as I see it now.

Because closer, clearer, no sir, nearer.

Because of you and because of that nice… that you quietly, quickly be causing. And because you’re going to see me run soon and because you’re going to know why I’m running then.

You’ll know then, because I’m not going to tell you now.

Falsely yours,
Gilbert “Gil” Scott-Heron