p           b
       e           r
       r           e
       p           a
       e     b     t
       t     l     h
       u     e     l
       a     s     e
       l     s     s
       l     e    (s)    e
      (y)   (d)          l
                   i     u
       d     s     n     s
       e     k     d     i
       s    (y)    i     v
       c           v    (e)
       e     d     i      
       n     i     d     b
       d     v     u     e
       i     e     a     a
       n     r     l     d
      \g/   \s/   \s/   \s/    

 finding oblivion in unity     a
we draw from these sources    (t)          a     e
     ephemeral certainties                 c     a
        and lasting wonder     f           r     c
                               i           o     h
                               r           s     
                               s          (s)     d
                              (t)                 r
                                           a      o
                               i     i            p
                              (t)   (t)    f      l
                                           a      e
                               s     t     c      t
                               p     r    (e)     
                               e     a             t
                               a     c      a      a
                               k     e             s
                              (s)    s      l      t
                                            e      i
                               i     a      a      n
                               n            f     (g)
                                     b            
                               w     e       a     f
                               h     s             r
                               i     t       w     e
                               s             i     e
                               p     p       n     f
                               e     a       d     a
                               r     t       o     l
                              (s)    h      (w)     l

                             they rap on tin
              staccato percussive consonants
     bounce and blur into the singular sound 
                       of an unstoppable mob
                                          it
                                            marks a journey
                                            and draws conclusions
                       momentary mindfulness 
                       meets geological time
                                            our world writes stories
                                            on cave walls
                                            on canyons
                               we call them rainbow serpents
                                            or naiads
                                            or strata
                     our stories add to the patter 
                     of tiny minds

so many join torrents of optimised cacophony




speaking the blunt thunder of flash flooding 
in a cement watercourse. the speaking is not
dangerous, but the massive momentum.   blind
singleminded descent. no room, no soft snaky 
bends, billabongs
            life for its own sake 
          sedentary sediment
                   sentiment even
      savouring some aimless 
                        dissipation
                               wending, waiting
                                       standing still       
                                                absorbent       
                                                listening      
     we all make graven images                              
   our feet sunk in clingy sod     w           t            
carving a waterlogged likeness    (e)          r            
of squidgy toe shapes with                     a            
sinking heel and arch              t     c     c            
at every step                      o     h     i           s
perhaps                            o     o     n           t
we don't run                             o     g           r
the same course                    e     s                 e
  perhaps your feet                d     e     o           a
    tread a coastline              i           u           m
      i think our tread            t     a     r           i
        is similar anyway                            w     n
             lost happily          o     b     i     e     g
             in childlike          u     e     n            
               sensations          r     s     t     s     c
                                         t     e     p     o
                                   l           n     a     n
                                   i     p     t     t     s
                                   v     a     i     t     c
                                   e     t     o     e     i
                                   s     h     n    \r/    o
                                                           u
                                         slide descend     s
             transient distortion of light and surface     n
       glimmer and splash                                  e
  wriggling down a lifeline to our own quirky gravitas     s
some days feel comfortable, sinuous, some are abrasive    \s/ 
rip and and churn, waves dump and draw their own yarns    
on the coast and its dwellers.
eventually pooling. running together
    all our words, pictures, imaginings
                    are expressions of our 
                            surface tension
                    the firm curve of a life
                                      a pulse
                                    sentience
              the fluid dynamics of community 
                                 and ecology
                of our path to our oneness
                       our desire to be
                 and not to be alone

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