Take a Left, then Rise

I wrote this for a friend who earlier today sent me an email that included a wish for a special map. She lost the love of her life tragically a little over a year ago. All day long in moments fleeting I kept coming back to the idea of cartography and internal geography...I knew I couldn't draw her one, but maybe I could offer something...

Take a Left, then Rise

You first
find the place
where you and your honey
kissed long and said
forever, amen.

Then go up a bit--
up just round the curve
where the sunflowers grow
and the stars like to gather
for their night time compline praise.

Keep on til you wade
through the stone rippled water
that is sweet and slow and deep.
Meet there the reflections
of the others who've gone-

whose names are known
to the beavers and fish,
to the wind, the crickets, and God.
Let them know
that you're on your way.

Climb the bank,
take a left.

Find the tree
with the bared heart knot
and the roots of welcome.

Rest awhile.

Then rise.

Like bread does,
the sun does,
the moon does,
and we believe
that we will.

©MperiodPress