Friday, March 29, 2013

Teacher Geese

A  L  O  H  A !

Growing up,

 I lived beneath
 the Great Eastern Flyway 
of the Canada Geese.  

Feeling trapped in my childhood, 
longing to escape 
to far away places. 

 I painted that big world  
out there
 in all the bright yearnings 
of my heart's dreams. . . . 






Alone, outside, 
at a moment of peace,
 imagined, hinted, then 
YES, heard! 
 The celestial voices
 of the fleet above. 
Together, 
traversing continents,
 hinting at eternal cycles 
and circles
 that might redeem me
 if I could just know them, 
find my flock, 
embark on my own 
journey.  





A few years later,
 away at college 
in Northern New Hampshire
 I climbed my first 'mountain'
 Bald Peak.

At the top,
 crouching at the sheer 

I  M  M  E  N  S  I  T  Y

 of space and height, 
I imagined that I heard
 a familiar voice. 

Then it was faint
 but distinct! 

 A V of Canada Geese
 was approaching! 
My first mountain - 
with old friends. 
At last I was 
in their realm 
thousands of feet 
high.  





They flew as accustomed
 at such remote
height,  
 but here the peaks 
rise up to meet 
the sky.  

My luck, or blessing 
was strong that day; 
The V of singing birds 
grew closer.  

At once I understood 
that they were heading
 right in my direction!

 Indeed, I waited
 breathless in the sky
 as they drew nearer. 

Individual voices 
could be divined
 for the first time
 by me.  

"This is a special moment. 
This is a wonderful gift.
 This is the mystery 
of Life's wonder
 and reward." 

 The fleet drew close.
 Now I saw 
not a single 
V, 
but a tribe
 of tired, skillful 
Voyagers.

 Each voice 
in it's turn proclaiming 
"I'm still here - keep going!"

The tiny perfect formation 
I had watched out of sight 
my entire life,
 was now seen
 in it's gypsy truth
 up close.

 In my mind's eye
 today,
I still can see their
 eyes,
 determination,
 skillful shifting on the winds, 
an ancient admirable
 wonderful keeping-on
 over eons. . . . . 

A sight seen only
 through fortuitous 
circumstance.  

On the wing, on the wind,
 on the trial 
to what I would
 become;  
That day's portion 
took me up a mountain
 to see a divine thing, 
a talisman of my life 
that I shall quite probably
 see
 one last time
 at death's door. 

 It was a smallish mountain
 among giants; 
But it was big enough
 for me that day- 








Thank For Climbing
together with us
today!

Plant your comment,
"I was here"

Hooray!

                       Fondly, cloudia