by Michele Merges Martens
step into a hazy afternoon memory,
trail walking a tenuous dirt path at the lake.
no need for a map. your mind remembers the way.
your heart still does not care
that there is no apparent beginning and no definite end.
underneath the trees
seasons are layered in patterns.
explore until you recognize one that belongs to you.
find your childhood.
get blackberry scratches.
trace cobweb patterns.
braid grasses and pine needles.
seek wisdom from turtles on logs.
crease a wintergreen leaf.
hide a perfect pebble in your left hand.
follow a tree root.
watch sunlight dancing with the water.
listen to whispery wind songs.
escort an ant into the dark earth.
allow your tears to water the velveteen moss.
and then reach up from the surface to the sky.
the lake is a mirror.
which is reflection
and which is reality?
October Process 