first, the lightest airs
of everest in a net of stars

and then, the chill of space
from the man on the moon
when he bends down to kiss the earth
below

also, the warmth
of cloudless, summer days
that sing its harmony
with the waving of trees
with the silence of wind

and finally, the chill
of the moon as it rises by night
and the smile of the winter sun as it sets
with its fingers to your lips
to silence every question of your fearful heart

from places known
places still to be known
places loved
and places waiting yet for love

i will stir them in a pot
with a wand of fingers five
and knead them into dough
and let them rise

i will pour them in a bottle
with cork enough to keep the Inside in
and Outside out
with space enough to hold
the smell of sweet gum in the summer,
the smell of wet leaves in the fall

for good times and for bad
for difference and for sameness
'till all the stars of the sky should go out,
and the man on the moon should hide from you his face

'till the moon should no more rise
nor the sun set,
these i will bring you
to forever keep my love for you
and send you softly home