Supplicant

In the year of fire and fear

he has come to feel the woods again

to wait beside the stream, again

to kneel beneath her waters joined

where the main creek and her sister join

here there is dark spruce, tangled willow, darting cutthroat

and refuge

the wild ones say what they have always said

sweep of wind

chiming water

clack clack rockfall

silent deadfall

osprey wing on water

camp smoke half-remembered

trailhead half-departed