One of the more personal pieces, this one – published four times during my mid-90s poetic phase. Learning last year of Majken’s early passing made sharing it here … inevitable.

She is missed.

***

New-grieving baby self:
early warning genius
Invisible fear heralds discovery
Recent turns must lead somewhere
Converse, converge – something fused overnight
This morning room a darkened cloister
as he knows I don’t

Walk now
Tree of flame, sear away blindness
Sky, Buddha-still, uncloud my vision
See houses? breathless eyes feel them!

Know now, cut flower in water
Grow through nourishing Earth, weaned too young
Pathfinder, focus awareness, energy, acceptance
Ritual bonding

See now
model’s forced smile, numbed eyes
father’s bearded face, experience lines
Nature molting, ready to rest
my daughter seeing

Hear now
massaging waves, leaves in cycle
soothing chorus of wings
Gaia rejoices – echo me!

Feel now
open breath smile body
free to converse – what strangers?
erotic life-giving creative
Closed eyes embracing sun,
poisons kissed away –
one celestial afterimage

Speak now
How I adore you, my love!
At last the words
Not surface for eyes only
but your spirit radiant
seen in our hearts
Beautiful beyond language
I love you beyond thought

Share now
this delight, this blessing, this magic
seems to breathe life into Earth

For Majken R., 1970-2010

10/93, 8/16