Monday, November 17, 2008

Lean



A halo hangs above my head, where sunlight streams and bends.

Find it there. Feel its balm.

A warm hand to choke the chill seeping through autumn’s cracked skins. It's held aloft by all these good deeds:

Leaves break and unwind, in lieu of summer’s butterflies. Cradled by a briny stream. Floating bridges upon which unwinged creatures dash and lean. Above the terrible drown.

Footsteps like raindrops.
The heartbeat of a forest.
A river of psalms.

I hear it all.


The voices in my head fall silent.

But for how long.


13 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

But for how long....as universal as such things are, maybe in the end it doesn't matter. As long as there are sunlight, rivers, unwinding leaves, and warm hands there to hush the voices whenever they stir again.

(But yeah, wouldn't it be rich to grab a view of those voices and dunk them in that stream? Talk about a mercy killing....) ;)

Charles Gramlich said...

It feels like winter.

Anonymous said...

Apparently, I am genetically incapable of proofreading. I already dumped one failed comment, and I still wrote "view" instead of "few." I'm hopeless this morning.

Aine said...

We can find all we need in nature. We just need to let ourselves see and feel....

Sarah Hina said...

Jason, it is a constant struggle to remind ourselves of all those good things, even when they're right before us (and especially when they're not). I don't know why that is. Stupid voices...

(and no worries on the proofreading--I just thought you were seeing things. ;))

Charles, it is creeping up.

Aine, yes, that is true. Openness is infinitely preferable to shutting ourselves up good and tight. Those outward worlds have a lot to share. :)

Vesper said...

Leaves break and unwind, in lieu of summer’s butterflies. - what a beautiful, meaningful image... Butterflies will be back next summer...

Chris Eldin said...

I love winter though. The voices in my head soften, but never completely go away...
:-)

CL is back.
:-)

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

I love the cadence and solemnity of this.

A warm hand to choke the chill seeping through autumn’s cracked skins. ... Real, real pretty Sarah!

So many descriptive words and images here. It is playful, yet scary at at the same time.

Sarah Hina said...

Vesper, I know they will. I already can't wait! :) Thanks for pointing out that line--hearing what resonates with people is always important to me.

CL, she's back, indeed!! Yay! I mean--well isn't that special... ;)

I'm glad you like winter. There are moments of great beauty to be discovered. I just need to make more of an effort to look this year.

K, yeah, I think you're onto something. I guess there's a kind of desperate playfulness to it. Like she's trying to convince herself of the beauty and vividness, even as she worries about it slipping away. Ah, to live in the moment...

Thanks, as always, for your wonderful insights, K. They mean a lot to me. :)

Anonymous said...

I hope the voices aren't silent for long :)

I'm with Charles. It feels like winter here.

Sarah Hina said...

Paul, they never are. :)

It's even snowed here now! Well, a little, anyway.

Sameera Ansari said...

Has a cold feel to it.Was that intentional? :)

Beautifully written,as always!

How are you dear?