Sent to my son Matt on his emergence after a 10 day silent retreat in California’s High Desert:
Deep dark rueful shadows
lit in hued moon light
edge silvery meadows
of metallic bright
Shine unperturbed bright stars
beyond Earth’s cold skies
Way beyond Moon and Mars
hide unanswered ‘whys’
In morning’s early light
shadows turn shallow, skies warmed
Forthwith, wake up, hold tight!
Awe for the Earthly returned:
Fades away night’s perfect stillness
elbowed by day’s messy shrillness