Down a River of Words: A Poetry Collection

Silver Eye

Infantile eyes gaze with pride

on a tower of glory, molded

from thousands of granules.

No thoughts of where it will go in the next few moments.

An achievement not valued by what it can do,

but celebrated simply for what it is.

Silver light gently floods the whole scene,

illuminating this simple, yet profound occurrence.

The eyes crinkle in glee, but only for a moment.

For, it has begun:

The inevitability of salt and foam,

existing since the beginning of time...

...yet still an abomination for those eyes, now wide with worry.

The helplessness that follows gives power to the mouth, crying out in a feeble attempt to stop the flow.

Powerful and vast, the ever-shifting arms of that which gives so much life reach with calm force.

There is no intent to annihilate...its simply just time to reach forward, and this reaching will bring a renewal - and leveling.

And as the fruits of labor are disassembled, the tired young eyes bring forth so much brine.

They turn their gaze to Wisdom, who is standing nearby, and the tiny mouth asks the age-old question: "Why?"

Wisdom smiles and looks to the shining Eye in the dark sky, which provided the calm silver light. "There is an unseen pull, which happens every night. And there must be an answer, which causes the flow to grace us with its presence."

"But it is ruined," comes the reply, pointing at the mush that was before gloriously intact.

"I don't think so," says Wisdom. "You simply borrowed what you used, and it has returned to its place. It was beautiful when you formed it, it was graceful as it dissolved, and it is triumphant as it is now. It served its purpose to make you happy - but do not be so attached to what you cannot take with you."

The small eyes blink, attempting to understand,

but still not able to fully move on.

"But why does the Eye cause this to happen? Why does that which brings such soft light also bring the flood of cold and wet?"

Wisdom answers, "There is so much that your eyes do not see - purposes for ten thousand things that you can't yet comprehend - there are other eyes that delight in this force that beckons the flood. Let your happiness be centered in the action of building here in this place, and let those structures of granules return to whence they came. We have much to do elsewhere."

And Wisdom extends a hand, met by the much smaller one, accompanied with the words, "Let's go home, now."

Together they walk across the soft malleable surface,

still basking in the light of the Silver Eye.