Wild Places

I remember how the air wrapped around my arms

A little cooler as the sun lowered out of sight

The dirt path beneath my bare feet

A thrum emanating from the trail

Oh, how bright the moon shined

Not quite full

Small, wispy clouds curling like smoke

Each tree shimmered in the fading light

Some leaves had turned, and some had fallen

Lush green still dominated the canopy

Stepping lightly along the soft earth

What did I follow

Why did I go and not turn back

This mystery ahead calling me

Into the dark forest

The trail narrowed and twisted

I climbed and descended

Touching my palm against this smooth bark

Against that rippled surface

Too low to hear it

I could feel the vibrations

Ahead of me

Glowing faintly brighter before

fading

I reached and stretched

My paws scratched through the surface

My fur brushed against the underbrush

As I ran loping up the mountain

Soon enough

The rest of the pack had joined me

A short stretch of communion

Then they veered off t o the left

To the right

And the summit was mine

I howled

Sending my spirit into the night sky

A flare into the void

I listened for you then

In a palpable silence

In a tense quiet

Again I set loose all my longing

A sound terrible echoing to this day

I am sillouette

A dream

An illusion of loss and desire

Waiting for the answering call

Of your soul

Unquenched in the wild places

Endless desolation

Sometimes I still hear that awful silence

As I add another item

To the cart

And stand in line to check out