What You WIll Miss (circa 2003)

If you fear the shadow before the bird You will miss the quiet break of air As wings glide past treetops stirred If you listen for the exhalation You will miss the veritable moment Where laughter falls, joy’s summation If you wish on stars preceding darkness You will miss vain light fading, Scarcely piercing shadowed forest If you touch before the skin is bare You will miss the undulating want Whispers, waiting flagrant surrender If you sniff the air for the perfect scent You will miss rose buds burgeoning, wisps Of space between flowers redolent If you send the letter before thoughts are finished You will miss the longitude of emotion, Journey from brain to heart to hand diminished If you wonder why the earth is ground You will miss ferric tether conjoining Sand and seasons forged of light and sound If you pray with voices all too quiet You will miss irreverent portent, wisely Evincing truth begot by Science If you sleep before your time is due You will miss the freeing of verse, the patter Of prose, searching tautologies anew