epiphany

small and round
i found it where i walked,
a lichen twined nest of the batis
storm blown

holding the perfect circle
nesting within my hands,
consumed by the miracle of forest
oblivious.

light falling with leaves between leaves
revealed the old mare’s white mane
spiraled around with grasses and seed down
and there, woven tight and neat
a yellow thread plucked
from the flag we hoisted high
on the bean pole to watch the wind blow.

in amongst the spider silk,
holding moss to lichen and grass,
in bright impossible knot work
was hair, human –
unmistakably long and dark and mine.
the gift was both a nest and a knowing
of slow entanglement,

never more can i be
a mere observer of this forest
or stand separate and alone
in awe of its beauty
for today and a while now
our living is woven
inextricably
into tree.

march 2013
first published in holy ground 2014

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Linking to earthweal’s open link weekend #74

https://earthweal.com/2021/07/09/earthweal-open-link-weekend-74/

I was reminded of this moment (misremembered some of the details) when reading Brendan’s The Cardinals https://blueoran.wordpress.com/2021/07/08/the-cardinals/ submitted for last week’s weekly challenge at earthweal.