Teacher Geese

A  L  O  H  A !

Growing up,

 I lived beneath

 the Great Eastern Flyway 

of the Canada Geese.  

Feeling trapped in my childhood, 

longing to escape 

to far away places. 

 I painted that big world  

out there

 in all the bright yearnings 

of my heart's dreams. . . . 

Alone, outside, 

at a moment of peace,

 imagined, hinted, then 

YES, heard! 

 The celestial voices

 of the fleet above. 

Together, 

traversing continents,

 hinting at eternal cycles 

and circles

 that might redeem me

 if I could just know them, 

find my flock, 

embark on my own 

journey.  

A few years later,

 away at college 

in Northern New Hampshire

 I climbed my first 'mountain'

 Bald Peak.

At the top,

 crouching at the sheer 

I  M  M  E  N  S  I  T  Y

 of space and height, 

I imagined that I heard

 a familiar voice. 

Then it was faint

 but distinct! 

 A V of Canada Geese

 was approaching! 

My first mountain - 

with old friends. 

At last I was 

in their realm 

thousands of feet 

high.  

They flew as accustomed

 at such remote

height,  

 but here the peaks 

rise up to meet 

the sky.  

My luck, or blessing 

was strong that day; 

The V of singing birds 

grew closer.  

At once I understood 

that they were heading

 right in my direction!

 Indeed, I waited

 breathless in the sky

 as they drew nearer. 

Individual voices 

could be divined

 for the first time

 by me.  

"This is a special moment. 

This is a wonderful gift.

 This is the mystery 

of Life's wonder

 and reward." 

 The fleet drew close.

 Now I saw 

not a single 

V, 

but a tribe

 of tired, skillful 

Voyagers.

 Each voice 

in it's turn proclaiming 

"I'm still here - keep going!"

The tiny perfect formation 

I had watched out of sight 

my entire life,

 was now seen

 in it's gypsy truth

 up close.

 In my mind's eye

 today,

I still can see their

 eyes,

 determination,

 skillful shifting on the winds, 

an ancient admirable

 wonderful keeping-on

 over eons. . . . . 

A sight seen only

 through fortuitous 

circumstance.  

On the wing, on the wind,

 on the trial 

to what I would

 become;  

That day's portion 

took me up a mountain

 to see a divine thing, 

a talisman of my life 

that I shall quite probably

 see

 one last time

 at death's door. 

 It was a smallish mountain

 among giants; 

But it was big enough

 for me that day- 

Thank For Climbing

together with us

today!

Plant your comment,

"I was here"

Hooray!

                       Fondly, cloudia