That summer in West Virginia:
washing myself clean
with brown water
from the Ohio river.
I saw gar sunning themselves
near the surface: fish with a thousand teeth,
fisherman’s nuisance. Like me:
take the bait and sink.

Matt takes us to the woods
and promises a surprise.
We slash brush for miles,
and I bleed. Thorns cut up and down
my skin. So easy to get lost out here –
multiflora rose so thick you can’t see
the sky. Crawl back to where you came from.
Plants move so slow, but I have patience.

Back when I could tell the birds apart
I held a dead wood thrush
in my hand
and it felt like air.
Eyes closed and tilted to the side –
because of the window, because a bird’s eyes
are not adapted to see glass. I wanted to bury it,
but instead I laid it in the grass.
For the worms: because we are all going.

We find the magnolias. No one is quite sure
how they ended up here, but they look exotic,
different from the pawpaws and oaks
with their shiny leaves and white flowers.
To be a bird in the magnolias – hermit thrush,
singing in a language too old to understand.
Voice of god calling out to say: come home.
If only I knew how to listen.

Wandering

not lost because only those
who choose to be lost
are the ones who feel most free.

Wondering

not found because those who
find themselves stranded on mountains

peaks that steep with cliffs
so brief they threaten to
collapse the body with snow.

But dirt tends to cling
to those who dare
themselves to fall
hitting pine trees
and mulberry bushes
hearing buzzing bees
and small white thrushes.

weep not in the willows my child
the summer day calls you to play
the mothers songs calls you to smile once more
lifts your heart from this sullen mood
laugh once more
summer has come

chase dragonflies in the thrush's nest
let the words dance your tongue
quick now and high you leap to catch firefly
for summer grass has such a sweet scent when cut
blends the heart with wondrous dreams
faster fun with bright smiles

quick now my child
race your shadow's footsteps along the path
in the summer wood
watch the dandelions spread wings on the wind
watch the sunlight catch the sky afire
so much wonder to be found
listen now for mothers song
her voice will call you from your sleeping
to run laughing in the tall grass
chase the bluebird
walk with the sun through the puddles
quick now my child
love the world before you grow too old