| Awaiting Awakening Snow geese gather into snow forms. Gather as the white wind coils over the open mouth of Winter Woman’s hollow ululation. Whistling, wailing, carrying the hoary voice. Imprinting the cold, glassy dome of the white heavens. Before fires lit the hilltops, before hearts beat in syncopation with the great herds, before the syllables of mind separated by gazing at an open hand, before all of these, snow geese gathered. Snow curves blew currents sculpting banks to hold them; they became as snow themselves. Grandmother birch has a word for this time. She has seen this in the steam over her cooking cauldron, leaning over the still lake waters on crisp, early mornings. Between breaths, a moment that has no sisters, no sons. Only a quiet, unseen fire, awaiting awakening. Place before remembering, before we were, snow geese gather there as now. Snow shapes over, wind rushes over. Snow geese gather, waiting under white. Their silent soul eyes behold release– the pulse of the living spring within the ribcage of winter. written in Sunday, January 21, 2001 at 7:23 p.m. |