Waking the Child

Cedar moves through the forest,
grass to his hips and pine needles at his face,
he pokes through the forest with amazement:
as cautious and curious as a fawn,
as alert and as flexible as a fox.

His fascination with it all—the seen and the unseen—
repeats: “Be as a question.”

Through his wonder
I awake to find:
we all ask the questions within—
but a child puts his Heart in his mouth.

Diindiis hangs in the balance,
the giggled twirl of gold leaves
and blonde upside-down hair,
the feet of a blue jay wrapped nimbly
around Birch branches.

His monkey’s eye view reminds me:
the seer chooses his perspective.

Through his delight,
I awake to see
we all desire to learn, to love, to live in joy—
but a child puts his Heart in his every action.


Through their image,
I finally understand
it is not about finding my inner child—
she was never lost.

She has been stifling a giggle,
smirking just below surface.

I set her free this morning
as I asked a question: What animal do I wish to be?
as I ran, arms wide—No, wings spread—
swooping through Forest, an Owl on the Wind.
She awakens.