it has always been a woman
i dared trust enough
to be truly comforted

at times with soothing words
a mother’s hug of encouragement
and warm delicious nourishing food

or with others in beautiful nakedness
enlivened by silky touch & tender kisses
loving murmurs nibbling at the ears
& quickening breath & sweet embrace
entangled in her limbs blood fizzing
we merge into light & are blissfully one

the land also heals in this way, through
supple curved hills and sinuous rivers

sometimes in dreams i meet her essence
the scent of fresh earth and forest
reaches me before she fully appears

glimmering moonlit perspiration
beads up & perfumes her glowing skin

her hair flows out into everything
she is enticing, elusively there
inviting me into the tall trees
silver leaves wound through her tresses

she traces my skin and pulls me
to the mossy cedar scented ground
further entwined in darkness
and sultry fecundity we go down
and disappear into deep caves
tinged with bioluminescence
lost completely and now at peace
in the place where all life is rooted

in waking she remains with me
& though the presence is subtle
she walks assuredly in my steps
and i see through her awareness
the growing possiblity that we
might never have been apart
the whole universe is expressing
what she whispered in the dark

that we all belong to her
when we surrender to living love

we are all being born by her
in every unfettered moment
we allow ourselves to fully be

©John Greenleaf-Maple – text and art 20180511