Part I Courage

New dawn trailed the night's loss
my toes dug warmth
beneath my quilts
but I pushed to emerge
from hideaway sleep's recluse
to face my freshly-emptied world

began the revolution
to learn again to cherish:
joy of breathing
find miracle in my body's
centered balance
to stand over the aches
and that my limbs responded
to take me forward
to cherish:

the urge to explore the first curve
in a path still virgin to me
that fingered its way into fantasy
to cherish:

a small child's hello
his open-wide unchecked interest
hint of daylight upon the sea
first glimpse of ocean after evergreen copse

I shook and smoothed these parcels
to improvise their secrets
renewed the rub of smooth sea-washed
pebbles underfoot
fragrance of cedar wed with pine

Part 2 Progress

I stirred to the sudden visit
of a cardinal at my pond
his bold red hope painting my heart
quiet company, no judgment
and reflected that the moon
sits in the sky at midmorn
as if staking out its reservation
and that at times
I've seen a rainbow - even
before the rain
I curved my lips to celebrate
an unfamiliar laughter
in the crowd
the shy stretch of a new love's hand
toward mine

I found solace
that a stranger cried for my tears
...feared for my survival
...delighted in my idiosyncrasies

...devoted time to guide me
back to myself again.


Part 3 Promise

Where all of this left hollows
for the strength left to re-start
I then grew reinforced
by the fortune in my hunger
for stories yet unread
melodies to be picked out
new words to decipher
languages to pattern
and perennial flowers I'd planted
destined to return next spring

~~~

05/30/1996