The Gathering

from the beginning 
it was all about taking a risk — 
that was the edge of it 
the fearsome sweet potential of it 

we came together tentatively 
each response carefully shared 
each opinion delicate in its place
each moment reaching toward the next

we spoke our triumphs
     our challenges
          our secrets 
and, as human beings do
we talked about what we didn’t understand 
hoping for clarity from others

there we sat, curious 
about how all of it might fit together:
our lives
     our stories 
          our talents
               and our trauma 

we planted the gifts of our experience 
and cultivated a new garden of cautious offerings, 
wondering all along
if we were rooting our hopeful hearts 
   in soil or stone 

Music pairing:
(for the fire we wished we could have had)
Anthem by Alana Yorke