Tears of Joy

                                                                            

Tears of Joy

In this pile of earth, one grain of sand

not in the desert or under the sea, but in my hand.

This tiny speck of dirt, this dust, is me

unearthed after centuries.

 Exfoliated into light and given life,

given a soul to breathe.

But only for a wink of an eye

a flutter of a hummingbird's wings or a butterfly's

Here I am breathing among paintings and etchings older than time

Remembering the artist's blood in my veins, hands same as mine.

I was a speck of flint on this cliff, then a pebble under this stream.

I remember it all now that I have returned, yet it is all distant memory

As I float gazing at the reflection in the Dordogne 

the bridges make a full circle

and the ripples relax my eyes

Hypnotized I realize this moment will never ever return 

and life is only passing by

I then think of my love, the grain of sand closest to mine, and I cry

tears of joy.