Eroding into Beauty

author’s note:

I’ve returned to this simple poem again and again over the last nine years, trying to get it right.

I think it’s worth the effort.

So then, did I finally get it right?

Not yet.


ERODING INTO BEAUTY

The one who was once
the prosaic innocence
of a green hill
has, over the years, bared herself
to reveal a profile of sacred rock:

a sun‑drenched summit
still slowly eroding
down into the river.

But those deep lines of attrition
appear beautiful because they tell
of a spirit grown wise.

Now, just your presence is a gift:

whenever we look up at you
and see your strength
again we realize the gain
is worth the loss.

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© 2021, Michael R. Patton
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