I am keeping a quick pace

in my laced-up boots

but

the sun is determined to

keep up

I ask him

Does the journey hurt?

The smash and crash into trees and rocks, concrete and steel, animals to dirt,

the dive

into the water. Does it hurt?

Even if you could, would you answer me?

In English?

In a second degree burn?

Luke warm mass

heavy breathing body of dog or god

full of kisses, wet and hot.

Where is your master?

The dog, little god, little golden master sits obediently and turns toward the

Earth glacier lake, the eternal mother and

father. Dog little god granting me the gift

of liquid blue, the energy palette of red orange yellow

green fall off I wonder where

and why the little god goes?

wind!

roars

and

pushes, pummels my eardrums

and causes the

tickleface body of the

water children against my cheeks.

Splish! Shmmm! There is infinity

and being with dogs, don’t you know?

And every bird child woman man and I am here and apart and here now.

Lake gull knows about the sun’s descent,

of the dogs slumber.

Lake gull knows

about flying with the horizon.

Hardly at it

as if the brink wasn’t to be broke.

Tia Vaughn