Go to the beach. Go to the part where nobody lingers. The heron is watching. Seagulls survey. There’s the smell of saltwater. Seaweed tangled among stones. Fragments of shells. Half crabs. Splinters of sunwashed bone. Hear the song of the waves drifting out drifting in. Redwinged Blackbird calls from undercover of wild roses.
Driftwood messengers
Heartbeat rhythm on the wind
Shifts of time
Was I thinking of
adding it up
Would it ease anything
for anyone
Was I intending to
contribute my part
Join the long line
of I’m sorry ghostwalkers
Empty hands hollow eyes
too numbed even to cry
I was going to gift you
a sad song
Something you could sway to
help you shuffle along
Was I standing in a dream
afraid of plucking a string
Too many causes in this motion
I was ready only yesterday
but now
I can’t decide anything
We here
in this moment
Microcosm
of wider world
How do
you like it
We ask
each from threshold
We issue
answer in a thousand tongues
Language
grunts moans murmurations
Signs
we carry lead us on
Colours
rainbow bold or fading arc
Humanity
naked beast still loading
On the day of first yellow mango
came the prophet in form of grand smiler
He stood glowing as I lay sleep wandering
He bore gifts of bright abundance
songs of camas and white fawn lily fields
Colours luminescent like rainbows
With a voice like a choir of ethereal children
he weaved my comfort blanket of story
painted walls of wonder unfolding the day
You can’t depend on their presence
You cannot summon them with command
Sky faces drift on a time outside of time
They carry messages from places of knowing
Just out of grasp
Speaking a language you’ve yet to learn
Obscured from sight by light step dancers
Sky faces are playful tricksters
They swoop in close
Breath sweet spearmint and clover
On silent wings they glide low and high
Leave you wanting
Promising—-
In time, maybe when you’re older
On some still early morning mist rising
As a new sun spreads life to shivered earth
Sky faces will linger, sip of your offering
Whisper words in the language of your heart
Pencil Notes 