Unearthing self with a golden shovel

after Mary Oliver

As they traverse the land of whoever,
the frightened leave breadcrumbs. You
who find yourselves disillusioned are
welcome in this magical realm where no
possibility is forbidden. Only the matter
of your deepest desire determines how
the adventure unfolds. If lonely,

first open heart and mind to the world
that you might hear what it offers
in its beauty and richness, how it itself
weaves a vast tapestry of stories to
inspire and open the way ahead, your
opportunity limited only by imagination.

But also be wary of false calls
that lure the desperate along paved paths to
dead-end promises of wealth and power. You
who want easy answers, who like
to be coddled and flattered: avoid the wild
where passion resides. Fly away, geese
fleeing winter, fleeing the harsh
reality of truth. Follow your crumbs and
return to old familiar ways before exciting,

dangerous discoveries take over.
Or stay for treasures revealed within and
dig them free. Summon courage to step over
boundaries drawn by others, announcing
to would-be masters the truth of your
life. Declare that in this place

where your authentic self is meant to fly in
union with the glorious and divine, the family
you choose is made not of shared blood but of
love and compassion, experiences and not things.

©2024 Kenneth W. Arthur