[my farewell for Joe and Reed
and prayer for peace for
Ashley and those near her]

                                                                                                ‘celeste’

                                    the rain reminds me of death

                                                                        celeste

                                                she who weeps without sorrow

                                                who waters the earth with her tears

                                    death, the dance of spirit –

                                                            each recreates his own inner world

                                                                                    where nothing was

                                                            he builds his city of crystal

                                                his temple of light – Jerusalem

                                                                        stone by stone

                                                            mountain by mountain

                                    the jeweled floor of heaven reappears

                                                in this pristine emptiness