Purposely Unanswered

How a willowy fawn picks her way through dense leaves and brush
trailing Mother,
so carefully,
finding a quiet, true path.

The way river water is always talking
following grooves scraped by eons of dance,
returning again to places it ran before people were here,
to chatter,
laugh,
and make soul remedies.

The holy granting of desert fragrance -
Juniper, Pine, and Sage
when receding fog makes a pact with cool dawn breeze
to love you over and over
brushing, licking, adoring.

When gratitude clings,
a sly sticky child,
peeking out from behind you - charming the world,
giggling,
yes,
gratitude beckons, follows and carries.

Singing Coyotes at 3am,
this time mournful,
no celebration,
their chorus of loss on a moonless night.

Things that rested in my hand
that  aren’t mine -
pearlescent beetle,
a tiny pool of rain water,
her wedding ring,
and questions life has left
purposely unanswered.