Ebb and Flow

                                                                   Ebb and Flow

The transparent, shiny surface seems clear

but it is opaque, hiding the edges of what lies behind it, shadowed, obscured

seemingly empty but vaguely full

schools, herds, reefs, pods  skirting the deeper zones

like a quiet sigh of relief

not seen but felt

then sunlit and outlined coming into focus


The moment arises when thirty eyes are upon me

waiting, anticipating

and for a moment, a brief instant, fleeting

I pause, doubting

then a pencil drops, a shoe scuffs, a chair squeaks

smooth to ripples

I no longer see edges but landscape


The ebb and flow

begins like an eddy

swirling, flexible, fluid

up and down like gentle waves

then waters calm and the focus of

knowledge appears no longer deep in the current

but at the surface

floating

gathering currents into a focused stream


The distant sound of ringing

a swaying buoy

sending out a reminder, a direction

a slip stream, undertow, tide

redirecting the flow

bringing in new

flux

vortex

whirlpool

until

eyes upon me, quiet sigh, shift and settle

gentle ebb and tide

become calm waters