A Lineage of Light

Ethereal being
baby of air and hope
from the four corners
the grandmothers are gathering
to knit together
the silver string
of your inheritance.
They call out to you as they work:
Here is courage
Courage to be generous
to stand up for right,
and courage to collect your
flock and run
when you need to.
Here is strength
and capability.
Here are your own two feet
to walk on
to travel far and wild
and two hands
to take
and to give
and to make music
here is joy
spontaneity
here is a mouth
to smile with, to open wide with
laughter
to tell a story
to whisper dirty secrets
to your lover
on a sweaty summer evening
to taste the juice
of the first wild
strawberries of spring.