Held
Held in open palms
shells of hummingbird egg (archilochus alexandri)
dried seed pods of peony (paeonia lactiflora)
the exoskeleton of praying mantis (stagomantis carolina).
The palms are warm with life
because external husks such as
thoughts, personalities and bodies
are infused with core infernal heat.
These palms touch you gently
upon your heart
in the midst of huge space
where minute amounts of light congeal into molecules,
atoms, individual organs combine to form bodies,
now cognitions, emotions and behaviors-
all in relation to each other.
Come spring,
this peony is more than
individual roots and blossoms,
it is black ants (one of more than 4500 species of ants)
climbing its long and full body
looking for sweet juices,
it is the rush of snowmelt
descending the thawing mountains,
the timid kiss of spring rains,
four generations of women (homo sapiens sapiens)
whose bare hands have transplanted and tended,
it is the hummingbird seeking nectar
in the lush folded labyrinth
of scented pink petals,
the ethereal praying mantis
hunting for aphids
among the slender verdant leaves.
Beyond appearances, we are 99.9% light,
yet we are invisible without each other.
Our connection is a pattern
in the vastness of cosmic womb space,
our love is a molecular exchange
across time and probability,
generated out of deep blue mystery,
alive and warm,
electric and fantastic.
(SW Colorado Arts Perspective Magazine, Spring, Issue 8, 2006, Mancos, CO).
