FIREFLIES by JENI COUZYN
“First is the journey from God,
then the journey to God.
Last is the journey in God”.
—Sufi tradition
Crossing a field in darkness
we slid into like
delicious swimming
feeling our way without eyes
sifting strands of dark
like falling butterflies
we found a hedge alight
with fireflies
drops of light
like crazy raindrops
skittering
in all directions.
We wanted to see those
dancers of light, imagined them
white- winged,
holding their lanterns high,
plunged our fists into thorns
captured worms.
That might have been the moment
I lost you,
encountered
a dual world
knew myself
separate from the sun.
I began the journey back
to find you, toiling upstream
on rivers of light
in my rowing-boat-body
didn’t notice the rivers
were your veins
your arteries
sun rising and setting
blink of your eye.