He learned how to live alone from
the teachings of the Desert Spirit.
He held the one living thing in his hand,
and felt its heat in the flesh of a cactus.

He breathed a boundless freedom into
the open mouth of an insatiable sea.
He exulted in practice of wonder on the
jeweled edge of the serene blue earth.

He found home in the comfort of sunrise,
his destiny in the movement of clouds.
His heart beat rhythm of shadow and light,
and his spirit laughed like children at play.

His humility was understood by animals,
his strength one voice in a chorus of rivers,
his love a tribute to his one friend, death,
and his hopes still unanswered questions.

© Chris Ernest Nelson 2020