FIRST STEPS

 

Curious innocence goes wide eyed forward

Slow, searching for the familiar

Quick to stop. like a wild animal

catching a scent in the wind

or wolf eyes moving past the immediate

into the woods deep with a rustle

of leaves and the snap of a twig

Fear gives sway to return the

few steps taken from all she knows

in this forest that has her alone

Unaccompanied .

Her only friend an old pine tree

that whispers it’s branches in her ears

waves it spiky fullness over her new awareness

ripples it’s bark  to reassure her

Purrs like a kitten to comfort her.

It coos the story of where the sky

hums it’s bluest self, with the golden

orb flourishing the land beyond the woods

that is parted by the whimpering river

that babbles with the telling stones.

A stone  will lead you to the place of Others.

Take this branch as proof of me to you

and the staff that is of the Others

My roots run deep and with others

They will bring you there and back

and everywhere that needs going

in the to and from.

With the tingle of feet to earth

Earth to roots signals the way.

In the pivot and move

Caroline listens far for the whimper