Today's Miracle During Which

The Hero Bravely Holds On

Long Enough To Be Saved

Mourning has its joys

by the side of a garden grave

in a moment's freedom

when the veil disappears

and longing allows reunion

with the longed-for

in spirit and in memory

a miracle sweeter than life

because it embraces also death.

That moment today goes a'wandering

expanding into tender quest

for a new garden rock

that leads the mourner

freely off the woods path

to a still creek sidewater

where a struggle to survive

is well underway.

Underneath a sinewy juniper

a big green caterpillar

its fuzzy back still dry

floats in a small patch of water

on its long thick belly

its myriad legs mightily

paddling in place

within a green algae mat

a foot or so from shore

heaving its back upward

over and over again

attempting to free itself

from its daunting predicament.

its lunges a prayer for escape

up and down

front to back

its desperation sending

tiny waves breaking

through the green mat

providing glimpses

of the dark water below

as its great strength sags

its back's urgent arch

creates attention for its plight

sending ripples into the unknown.

Underneath a low juniper bough

(Had it been caterpillar's perch?)

lodged at the cusp of bank and water

a flat limestone rock
whitened by the sun

and smoothed by creek flow

is gripped by the mourner

and dipped through the algae

to become raft

on which valiant caterpillar

rises from one destiny to another

borne from the creekside

its metamorphosing form

spent relaxed and flying

through the Spring air

to higher and dryer landing

under a cousin juniper.

Once caterpillar has recovered

and inched elsewhere

the limestone raft

will again be transposed

and placed carefully nearby

the garden of the grave

of the longed-for

where perhaps one day

when narcissus is blooming

a certain strong-winged beauty

will pay a visit.