I’m the space between light and shadow The dimness just beyond the headlights I’m the silver lining of a storm cloud The pause after crescendo The top of the rollercoaster, just before the drop
I’m the hum between beat and rhythm The echo in the valley And the wake of the ship The air that moves between hummingbirds’ wings The scent of gardenias on the night air The wet sand that makes castles but clings to your feet and never leaves the lining of your swimsuit so you never forget that day at the beach.
Someday you may spot me in the background Shield your eyes against the floodlights and peer into the urgent quiet at stage left You’ll hear the scribbling of last minute changes; And know that: I’m that improvised line on everyone’s mind at the end of the night.
The essence of a memory You can’t quite place Christmas mornings Summer jobs The undertones of a complex wine The elusive je ne sais quoi That sends you back to the food stall With no name On the corner of that park We used to love to cut through On the way back from grandma’s.
You’ll recognize me In the dying applause Bonfire smoke on the morning air The late afternoon breeze that reminds you to pick your kid up from school The coolness of a glass of water after the first rain of the season The third chew of an intensely flavourful bite of food Music at a wake Bourbon at a graduation Coffee in a hospital waiting room
I am the crease of your forehead between tears and laughter The glowing ember of a discarded matchstick I am the space Between footsteps And words And silent chants Between your hands When you fold them And hold them And raise them up To touch the sky And lower them down To return to earth
I am the space between Light and Shadow Between earth and sky When you need me, I’ll be there. Even if you don’t know it.