Different... trying to keep it simple and short. Adjectives vs nouns.

Different
 
The way out of the valley—
mist, green lush, indifferent.
 
The way through town—
noisy, fast, hard.
 
Lord, save me
from the crowded, hectic, masked world.
 
Finally, back home
where there is space for aching,
 
imagination, a floating human face.
I try to step into the slow music.

Pat

I know that free verse is just that:  free.  However, I think the strength of the first two stanzas sets in motion a "form" and then  the form changes.  I lobby that you stick to the form as much as you can and break it only at the last stanza.

Todd

Different
 
The way out of the valley—
mist, green lush, indifferent.
 
The way through town—
noisy, fast, hard.
 
I must get away
from the crowded, hectic, masked world.
 
I must get back home
where there is space for aching,
 
imagination, a floating human face.
I try to step into the slow music.

Pat 

I think this revision is much stronger.

What about this:

Step to the Slow Music
 
The way out of the valley—
mist, green lush, indifferent.
 
The way through town—
noisy, fast, hard.
 
I must get away
from the crowded, hectic, masked world.
 
I must get back home
a space for aching, imagination, a floating human face.  

(The floating face is not very concrete.  By it you mean you are seeing thing?  How is it an amplification of slow music?)

I was thinking of no mask there, full faces seen.

Music.  Right, I need to work that in.

Back to a soft echo on the wind. Something like that.

I like the new thoughts on the title.

Thank you. 

I can drop the floating faces.  Not attached to it.  Don't want it to be a fuzzy thing. 

Good idea on form.  Thanks,

Pat

Pat

You can explain in presentation that you are thinking masks.  What about replacing "floating" with "familiar"?

TS

I may do a footnote on masks.  And I like familiar.    Thank you!