The Snow Goose

There is a cloud -- bird shaped ,
moving lightly ahead of the sun --
that brightens and grows clearer:
a snow goose
of downey breast, white beak,
and wings that reach halfway
around the world.

Measure me, Goose-In-The-Sky!
a boy sailing the summer air
arms outstretched on mosaic grass
soft as grandmother's goosedown bed,
breath swirling in each cell,
blood, muscles, skin, eyelids
warmed to bursting,
(each particle of light
between bird and boy
blessed).

Watch: the goose
lifts its white wings, becomes
a pitcher of milk, then
a horse racing the goldenrod sun,
finally, a cat curling on pillows.

At last
it breaks mid-air, runs with elusive
speed, spills and whitens
in the sky until God Himself
shows up.

Only wait.



(From In Willy's House)