I stand at the sea and turn
to face the desert stretching

endless and still.
My eyes are dazzled
The sky brilliant blue
Sunburnt sands unyielding white.
My hands turn to dove wings.
My arms
reach
for the sky
and I want to sing
the song rising inside me.
My mouth open
I stop.
Where are the words?
Where the melody?

In a moment of panic

My eyes go blind.

Can I take a step

Without knowing a

Destination?

Will I falter

Will I fall

Will the ground sink away from under me?

The song still unformed— How can I sing?

To take the first step—

To sing a new song—

Is to close one’s eyes

and dive

into unknown waters,

For a moment knowing nothing risking all—

But then to discover

The waters are friendly

The ground is firm.

And the song—

the song rises again.

Out of my mouth

come words lifting the wind. And I hear

for the first

the song

that has been in my heart silent

unknown

even to me.