Vigil (September 13, 1981)

Silence inhabits the atmosphere
At the moment of her mesmerizing entrance
Pure white feet tread soundlessly
Lubricated by fingers of dewy moss
Upon a densely dark forest floor
A slow-motion gale disturbs her long veil-like mane
Occasionally uncovers the milk-white face
Exposes the subdued but piercing gaze
An expression exciting fears
Yet warming the voyeur with mystery
Hovering in this twilight clearing
Blood vessels pulsate blue
In hands of ghostly pallor
If she spoke would utterances of a serene death unfold to my ears
Or would she speak of life as an eternal hallucination
Or is she waiting in elegant patience
For the rebirth of forgotten eras?
This haunted specter stands sentry
Protecting this virgin place
A collision of melancholy and quiescence

To hear the author's mp3 reading click here. Accompanying music--"Moon Prayer" by Doug Ordunio