His life raft adrift,

exposed a personage 

seared by implacable sun.

 

The relentless onslaught of

lashing waves; beat,

crashed and burned

him parched, left him like

driftwood on the shore.

 

He dried like carrion

as distant carillons

chimed boldly,

to hint that his flight

from necessity would heal.

 

The choices

he hadn’t made

spoke volumes.

 

***

 

Now he ponders a temperate sky.

Sedate sun reaches out

with power, like a signal that

this moment is rich soil’s

sprouting kindness.

 

Lost wonder is shaded

from the burning of summer.

His raft rests, shore washed

smooth by decades of tides.

 

Have desired relevance,

mindfulness, melted into

cotton-candy insignificance?

 

He ponders a green start

held in his hands

worms crawl in its

rich composted soil

 

and he listens.