"Saturated"

In the lone trembling night,

two days before the new moon,

this body arose, saturated,

from the fevered sweat of these times.

I pondered The Great Physician's

Sermon on Fire:

"Friends, all is burning...

burning with the fire of greed,

the fire of hatred,

the fire of delusion..."

(Samyutta Nikaya, Chapter 35, Sutra 28)

All at once, I was all of it:

anger

fear

disorientation

grief

wonder

astonishment

shame

illumination

disgust at the corrupt

concern for the downtrodden

breathing for those who can no longer breathe ---

breathing...

breathing...

surrendering.

Like curious children,

my aching feet carried me out

into the cooling winds of night.

Something unseen wiped my brow

and offered me a sip of renewal

direct from the midnight tapestry.