raindance

unlatch latent atmosphere
unlock water's bond with air
and inundate and sate this waiting ground

let earth exhale its weight of tension
pure survival in attention held so long
fine light find every separate surface
diamond it with drops of life
unite again above below
put to flight doubts of abundance
droughts of substance sustenance
and of beauty

recall leaves true green
lost shine verdant vibrance
land's life lease renew
oppressive heat release
let sky sign message of continuing

rewrite secret ciphers
drops rearranging dust
a hundred hidden messages on
every occluded surface
leave us to decode, conclude
or only joy in mystery reexposed

breeze away stagnation
breathing scent of infinite
in finished and unfinished
finesse of essences
blessed presences manifest
tell us we are not deserted
on this high and dry
but cycling in circle of completeness
time and timing poverty and sweetness
re-rhythm us free drink deep dreaming
sink new roots to share save circulate
all our regeneration

volando

Charango, guitar and a long arc of percussion wove a waiting forest clearing into which his wooden flute's music alit. Never had I heard a simple flute played with such sweetness and clarity of inflection. I had to keep my eyes closed while he was playing (even though he was in fact beautiful to look at, flowing black hair and all), because with sight it was just another afternoon in the desert, a crowd of people dancing up dust under a big cottonwood. Without -- or rather, within, inside that spontaneous sonic unsighted space, the music's essence portalled another world. A winding path opened through vinelaced primordial trees, sunshot illumination filtered slowly down, and a giant greengold butterfly waved sinuous wings above and ahead of me. I left all the world behind just to know where that butterfly would go, and in the moment even that wish vanished: it was enough just to follow (feet not touching the ground, at times) and watch its luminous lilt catch the treelight now on one wing, now the other...