cloudy pearls glimmering in a dark room somewhere flashing messages into the

emptiness everywhere lit and flickering candles in an old stone chapel as wide

as the length of my arms illuminated longings while outside the stars above and

side to side and all around us receive the secrets shining shining back their own

willing recognition willing vision—

oh this layering of the night—

slanted winds that whisper things akin to memories but older older than

anything alive today caves where people painted stories horses hands our

going on our going toward heights so dizzying they had us nearly going over

arms like wings extended waiting for the lift of air the blue-black mountains

looming all around—

oh this layering of night—

with fire and cold and shimmering ancient tears unbidden falling falling as they

have a thousand times a thousand years ten thousand years been falling

flashing signals to the stars and shining—

shining—

∞

From the Fall 2013 issue of Inquiring Mind (Vol. 30, No. 1)

© 2013 Jenna Nielsen