Nowhere But Now

It was once said 
that were the meaning of life to be known 
laughter would ring from the rooftops

And in worlds next to ours 
from subatomic  to supernova 
time steps backward 
and the mad hatter laughs 
in that land between yes and no

Can you taste the tea? 
If so, the eyelids of bodhidharma blink for you 
and Alice has an open chair down the rabbit hole 
where you may sit and sway 
to the sound of answers 
that have no question

Yes, the  canes of many masters have failed 
striking the round heads of the willing 
so many single hands have clapped 
but still no sound 
and philosophers have formed a line 
to share their careful theories 
of the face we wore before

And still we sleep! 
still these lemmings line up 
to feed the hungry moon 
this jewel of great price 
perhaps it’s hidden closer 
than we’d ever care to look 
the wink of synchronicity on the first page of the book

The sweat on Shiva’s shoulders 
the royalty of stars 
forgotten children of a faraway planet, yearning to belong 
or the footprints of a scarab 
like music on an Arabian dune 
gone with the first fall wind

Where is our place? 
how long must these ribs 
strain against the skin 
as our hunger for meaning 
beats like an African drum

How many paths must lead us back 
to where we continually begin 
always only at the edge 
of an unknown awakening?

Like the smile of an ancient turtle 
with the earth upon his back 
there is knowing in the air 
the same shared breath that passed the lips of Moses 
and in the sighs of Michelangelo 
the same dancing, glowing matter 
that lit the face of Geronimo 
when he knew that these words could never be spoken

Yes, the mirth is in the same simple magic 
as a child blowing dandelions 
and as she leaves the meadow, galaxies are born

Yes, the mystery is in the making 
for there is no path that came before our footprints 
and as we walk, in step with the sun 
time itself is born 
like silk from a grandmothers loom 
Yes, laugh aloud, from your many spinnerets 
for there is nowhere that you need to be 
but now