In the grassland, stillness spilling
swallow’s flight unweighted, sprung to sky
this branch, this winged release
up, up, high hummingbird, dragonfly, goldfinch, swallow
memory of warmth, shard of stone holding snake
uncoiling shade at my feet black and gold garter disappearing
raven’s guttural clamshell call, fieldberry, forest of many layered darkness entering deep pine, hemlock, cedar calm sea of green
looking back at me
standing in the long grass with the ancestors beneath me.
Daisies on the mounded land waving white heads. Last requiem.
In the open meadow moves a deer and her fawn, flash
of robin’s vermillion breast startled up, eagles riding slow
circles of air, infinite charcoal ceiling of the world, this calligraphic scribe of stormcloud and light closing the distance between us
azure pools of your eyes.
