—THE SKIES BEGIN TO CLEAR, AND I’M AT REST

  

 

Captured Lightning

 

       for Karen Keller

  

I met a wise angel 

who captured lightning 

snared rain in her hair net 

made the willows 

bend over chuckling 

a wise angel who could 

hear the wind speak 

read the ocean’s pages 

turn wine into more wine or 

at least tequila and mezcal

yet the gift of it was 

her not knowing the way  

a chill left the room as she 

swept through like a wisp of good luck

full of beams and lilac vapors

her smile brighter than a thousand suns

her laugh booming like thunder 

her goodbye the saddest thing 

a person might ever hear