one night
i sat, it seemed,
at the bottom of
a great empty bowl….
the ground spread flatly
away from me….
the vast deep
translucent lavender sky
melted backwards
into space
above me….
all around me
a great hollowness
rose up to meet infinity….
the birds held their breath
the breeze settled
even my thoughts
quietly filed out
to gaze blankly, instead,
at that sunset-infused expanse….
between me and the next star:
nothing….
•
the quiet deepened,
the sky darkened slowly….
space unveiled itself
before my watching eyes….
i sat
awe-touched
witnessing
this great celestial
rolling and turning --
from darkness
back to darkness --
an unstoppable cycle
linking observers
across the eons --
i sensed
a silent fertility
held by the dark….
•
against this great
unfolding dance,
the glow
of firestones arose….
solid black hills revealed
their graceful upwelling curves
in silhouette….
trees and nightbirds
issued soft murmurings, rustlings,
quiet calls –-
wet earth exhaled
a freshly greened scent --
the empty bowl
rapidly filled
with
mystery
upon mystery….
•
behind me
i heard a voice say:
today i held the eagle feather
up to the sky….
i showed it to the east,
to the west,
the north
and the south…..
the voice faded,
and as the firelight
played,
(a tiny star)
i gave thanks
for eagle feathers
for sky
and for the
empty
fertile
dark….
__
________
©2011
Beth Anne Boardman
