“At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall...”
T.S. Eliot “Little Gidding”
Having lost my way,
I sought a forest
to lose encumbrances and find some light,
a luminescence, perhaps, within and without.
I could not find any path
nor could I hear any voice.
Birds chirped, not indifferently,
and the forest wind blew, gentle and at times with force.
Stilled, I gazed about at Nature’s continuity,
And peace calmed my un-tuned heart.
All about, the tall trees and darting animals.
I listened to birds sing, and
with a certain inevitability,
I found a waterfall.
There it was, hidden.
Waters forcing down, shining the rocks.
Music in loud accompaniment to punctuated bird song.
I stood still, and revered the waters.
I knew to give thanks,
and made for myself a path.
Rich Blaustein is a science, environmental, and legal journalist with an abiding interest in poetry. He contributes to publications such as Physics World, BioScience, Washington Lawyer, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. He lives in Washington, DC.
