I LEFT ALL THE BEAUTY BEHIND

As soon as I came down off the mountain,
I left all the beauty behind, not knowing
how to take it with me.

Up there, the fire burns on,
and the only voices you hear are happy ones—
some tired, some bruised, but unbroken
and unregretful.
They will one day
help the world find its way
out of this dark night.

(October 29, 2008)