She stood
out of the
earthquake
shake of private sleep,
ready
as the sun is
ready
to face the dawn
dark
challenge
of a stormy
day.
Hidden behind a formidable sky of weather,
she flames with a fierce fire of affection,
toward the many-peopled life she loves,
teaching us what we have forgotten that we know,
to dwell present to this unrepeatable now,
the only length of life we have been given,
at times a piece of gold to cherish and obey,
at times a lump of lead from which we craft our gold.
July 15, 2015