Here. Quietly, then all at once Her voices and touches arise. Smiling bright as smooth sunshine, I lift up my nose to the breeze.
Childhood hides among the brambles Laughter peeks from under each stone The trail hums with life. Walking, gliding through the brush Playing peek-a-boo with the path, I embrace Her like an old lover and teacher, For it was here In the shade of figs and acorns That I learned I could soar.
Here. Where beetles mate and ants labor Where crackle-leaves dissolve and the soil exhales warmth Where field mice scurry and fledglings learn to fly.
Even on another continent, Her caress is familiar. It is the one of thorn bushes and wildflowers and weeds. It is the stumble-over-stones And the ear-tickling-buzz of the bees.
Here. I know I am Home.
Went hiking through the woods today in Italy and they reminded me of the ones I knew in childhood. This was what I got when I sat down to write about it.