Greatest Lesson was when
July 30, 2021the environmental center sent her, telling us
she was a musician, smart student scientist, shy
blossom opening as comfort began to share her
quiet magic, sharing space becoming a spectacular
visitor to the elder hostel creating a new learning
fresh biology into life where a willow floated over
softer greens, hanging edges in the angled space
of suspension, always buoyant in the glowing magic
of air as she told us of light all around us and in the
unknown universe of Tardigrade hanging right here
bouyant, tiny manatee methinks, floats in the quiet of
lightning flashes and insights of fresher forms, newer
discoveries, recognition with and without understanding,
sight surrounding a new biology around stranger unknown
growing everywhere in a presence silent and ubiquitous
Wikipedia tells only a little, fascination comes quickly
seeking more tardigrades floating buoyant, as manatees,
conscious and listening to trees fall, which is seldom heard
in this bewildered, challenged world where taller trees are
always filling, stretching vast woods evermore with falling
listen, crashes in a forest-day of movement more frequent
with flailing will not stop much, attempts are just simple,
only get us toward a start of new experience where reveals
of newer sights might influence effective a response, or
longer observations introduce a new model of survival
crumbs and detritus are all remaining, strewn everywhere
in confusion along many of these winding paths for years
in coming moments is a bright arrival from understanding
even as the blaze from sun supply ever smaller, kisses
as a warming sun reflects on dense cloudy surfaces
a clear choice, it is all confusing within a complex moment,
just a mark by another time traveler where oblivion may be
closing a distant unreachable door in a bewildering journey
where I just begin to search my thoughts, probing for clues
determine a newer course out of here, out of this place
an offering of humility to Willow for sharing her thoughts
James E. Taylor—July 28, 2021—Salisbury, NC
Hot now in the dog waning days of summer, 2021