never
leaves

ever
comes

to
temple

Luke 2:36

Audio:

how slender her arms swing
from shoulders raised
straight back proud
a child of storms
black with promise

a river taking the street
rolling out royally
before her

I stop the car
to let her pass

a procession of one
to the beat of the sun
a muscle of being
in the sweat of a June day

she lifts me
without her knowing
the weight
in me or I

her name

Audio:

a
single

lanky
letter

leads
me

lets
me

learn
not

earn my worth

Audio:

not that we
always are

but when we
are

when we sound
true

we
fly

Audio:

fall fashioned
pear trees
face me

enflamed
not consumed they
stand

ready to
I suspect
meet

to
mirror
me

Audio:

lip
into

sound
seal

ear
dear

air
woo

kind
kiss

letter
send

ew
view

awe
into

u

Audio:

may we meet
for
the first time

Audio:

certain
as this

to exist is
to be with

turns
everything

curves me
home

keeps me from
keeping

that
kills

rivers
me

to ever be
coming

Audio:

still

at 77
where
is
why
I stand

still

Audio:

caterpillar folds
into flight

sunflower bows
into seed

river empties
itself

Audio: