Equinox

by Stephanie Frances Earls 

VFS/sfe c 1975

holding hands again
our spirits straddle the distance 

in the balance: 
light and dark
life and death

this time
as you go 
some things are not so

even...

             breath… 

quick

s

l

o

w

quick again

...is heart shaped

at the bottom of your throat

it’s not clear where the balance settles

as you push/slip through the passage 

although in part the symmetry is sublime:

one twin comforting you here

the other reaching for you there

(i write so i don’t cry... 
                                      .
                                          .                    
                                              .  until the day is quiet)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

four equinox ago

you celebrated and saw me back

after i sailed through a passage

i’m taking it on faith

(and your word)

that you will be back 

after you sail through yours

death is wonder

where/to? when?

transition is mystery

how do you feel? how do you feel?

is the light as bright 

and the love as deep 

and gentle

as it feels all around you now?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

i take as comfort and confirmation

the otherworldly messages you delivered

with luminescent eyes when the fog cleared

the last time day and night were equal.

i take as comfort and confirmation

the movement of your mouth today when I said 

I love you

(i’ll believe that you heard me from halfway there

and tried to say, so i could hear, here,  I love you too)

i take as comfort and confirmation

your life 

so well-lived with balance and goodness

that the heart shaped pulse of breath

at the base of your throat

became your parting expression.

for Bumpy ♡

vfs/sfe 2014