The world stirred
with water flowing
through the ebb tide,
low sun slanting
on the morning sea,
gulls circling the rocks
crying come awake!
As the dream of night
hatched like a perfect egg
we opened our eyes
into the very first light.

The subtle spark of joy
on the dry wood faith gathers,
embers softly burning
with the breath of thanks,
alive and glowing
as if to warm the earth
for the light to come.

Haunted by the unseen
I searched for mystery
but only found a trackless sky,
the changing face of sea.
I saw a small hooded bird
still on a branch, then gone in an instant,
an otter dipping into dark water,
a thin brown snake with long gold stripe,
crows cawing at a solitary raven,
a rabbit disappear into thorny brush
and an eagle lift slowly toward the water
yet nowhere could I find the unseen,
not even when the owl cried,
the half moon surfaced from the clouds
and the night sky arced blue black and shining
with a flight of countless stars.

The full moon rose russet
as the tide ebbed,
moonlight and water
speaking their thanks
and I in the dark receiving
not in words
but in beauty.

Dense as stone,
stubborn as thorn,
something within
aligns with the stars,
finds solace in the tide.
Infinite and weightless,
blood dark from suffering,
looking into the dawn
with the fearless gaze
of an ancient son.

The rain came unexpectedly,
softening the dry ground
and thirst we felt
as we shriveled
without water,
our hearts
curled up and hid
until the sound of drops
released the tension
and we looked up
into the sky,
the rain filling our eyes
with thankfulness.

Look hard enough, long enough
and the stitches begin to show,
the body wired and painted
with life-like color yet skin
explodes to the touch
like the hollow nest of a wasp;
the story of the monster obscure
though its bootprints cover the earth,
a deviant pied piper leading
with the mysterious power
of its robotic deformity.
Tall trees wave in the distance
on the morning breeze,
emerging through the spell
whole and unfettered,
breaking the entrainment
with the timeless antidote
of being truly alive.