By The Nightlight

Hush now, child
and I’ll tell you a story, for
long ago before the rain there was
dust and rocks
and nothing else upon the earth and
the sun and the moon would look upon it
and feel ashamed
 
And so, did you know?
They made the first garden
 
It went like this, child, listen closely!
The sun sought to make the earth beautiful
and shined with such intensity that
lightning and fire filled the world
The sun and the moon watched the spectacle
with satisfaction
 
Then the moon whispered magic spells upon the earth
and the spells became the spirits
of the plants and the animals
while the moon’s breath
became the wind
which washed across the world in earnest

These spirits built their bodies
out of rocks and fire
But with nothing but wind with which to build,
their bodies crumbled

Be still, child, for there is still more to tell!
The sun and the moon pondered
for many great long spaces of time

The garden, said the sun
needs something strong
to bring life to the spirits’ crumbling bodies
Perhaps a small piece of my molten flesh
will invigorate them
 
Or perhaps, said the moon
I can give them life
by whispering more magic spells
 
And so, dear child, they tried
But with no luck, for the dirt and
the rocks of the earth were lifeless
 
But finally they found a way,
with a very special recipe--
just the right combination
of the sun’s molten flesh
and the moon’s tranquil breath--
which produced a material so robust
and so flexible
that the spirits of the garden could finally rejoice
as their new bodies became strong
and full of life

The sun and the moon
filled up the earth
with this new substance
and they called it
 
water
 
Yes, child, that was the way of it
And the first garden became the greatest
of gardens where you, little one,
plant your feet each day
But enough now my dear
Off to sleep
Sink into stories of your own
in dreams down deep
Breathe out, like the moon!
I’ll turn out the light
Have courage, dear child!
Good Night

2017