magic

“Earth's crammed with heaven...

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.”

― Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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it is almost dark

the sun is only a hope

and the world is gray upon gray

and yet in the cold stillness

a star shines

hovering over the mountain

tardy in its departure

the white tail of a mule dear

bobs and weaves through the juniper

and the dark specter of an owl swoops toward earth

dawn patrol

life is everywhere

magic too

and I am tempted

(if it were not 25 degrees)

to take off my shoes