The onslaught of the downpour,
The crashes of thunder
settle
As the sun sets behind
the towering canopy.
Clouds clear for the
light of the moon
To fight through the palms
overhead.
Winds that made the
firmest trees
Strain their roots
clinging to the ground
Become a warm, irregular
breeze
Breaking the stillness of
the night.
Monkeys, parrots, predators
fall silent
Letting my own doubts
sound into the vacuum.
Millions of frogs and
crickets call out,
“You are not alone,”
But my soul remains lost
in solitude.
The mossy scent of the
rains evaporates
Into the familiar smell
of decay,
Filling my nostrils with
my own eventual demise.
The heavy, sultry air
Tries to carry me off
into the sublime,
Yet the anchors of my
humanity
Keep me close to the
ground,
Far from losing myself
into deep Reality.
The sweet lullaby of the stream
says, “Rest, my child,”
But my soul cries out
“No! I must carry on!”
And the jungle silently
nods.
***
(Puyo, Ecuador -- October, 2017)
About 5 or 6 weeks had passed back at the monkey sanctuary, and I knew it was about time to make another move. I didn't know if I wanted to return to the US, move elsewhere in Ecuador, or run off into the jungle where I could build a little cabin and never be seen again. I went on long walks and meditated for hours each day, feeling the vibrant, almost alive air of the Amazon Rainforest energizing every cell in my body. After years of depression and anxiety, this gave me the first bit of clarity that I had felt in a long time.
No comments:
Post a Comment