Nature as Medicine

June IC theme of "Nature as Medicine" brought to mind a poem written a few years back. Nature is a healing balm, please enjoy....

River Cherith
© 2007 Karla Johnston, InnerConstellation.com

Sweet alarum
floats upon the air.
Churned earth mixing with wild roses
tells me you are here.

I walk on,
searching as I go.
A river, clear as crystal,
greets me.

I retire.
Don’t know if I should enter in.
So, sit upon the rocks, I do,
watching.

Soon,
I thirst.
Desire

loosens all inhibitions.

Into the river I go,
shedding skin that clings,
trying in vain
to weigh me down.

Turning toward the sun,
I slowly lower,
sink deeper and deeper
into your realm.

Unfastened cares
slide away.
Received and set apart,
I open and drink.

Inside and out,
refreshed and satisfied.
Only when I’m ready,
I rise.

Eyes alight,
see raven in a tree,
sitting on a crooked branch,
watching inquisitively.

Flying down,
she circles overhead,
fans doubt away
with wine-black wings.

“Feed me,” caw I.
I am but a fledgling.
Dark mother abides,
drops manna from the sky.

Opening wide,
sweet Mystery filters in.
Raucous noise
replaced with stillness.

Soaked in liquid sun,
I stand to go,
intimate
with revelation.