it’s been a water summer, 

     a summer of water.

skin smelling of rain, my soul a deep spring.

           i never knew, i would be a part

           of this liquid heart.

dragonfly dreaming,

homemade bread,

     hanging out in a bell jar.

baking soda magic, pulls out

     the sting.

you took the black road, 

     i took the white.

spark in my eye.

i am the light, quiet pulse in a dark night.

lightening bug glow, rising.  star sparkle,

     milky way ride.

there were yellow jackets in the Mary garden,

they stayed for two full moons.

they would swarm,

when we we came searching for 

     hummingbird medicine.

flying into my sunflower and snow

hair, tangled with my 

off-key tune.

they would buzz

but never sting.

all the while, Ella would 

sing.

my voice has changed.

the world has changed.

but i won’t cry,

     ah, i lie

you know i do.

     sometimes.

it’s been a summer of 

    sweet heat.

the deer with her fawn,

    curled in sleep at

     the roots of the 

     hurricane tree.

she lives a soft, wild life

     full of wild weeds and 

     fantastic fear.

all the while we make

     our way towards mountains

     of smoke.

turn face and head towards

     the manatee river.

we take the top off.

face hit hard by

the wind of truth,

this roaring silence seizes

 thought and cleans the mind.

it is summer of quiet.

     storms set in plantinum.

luna moths fly towards star light.

down on the dock, we float into 

    the veins of the universe.