After firing a wood kiln I feel as if I have been sleeping upside down. It takes a day to wake up and take flight. However it was such beautiful weather here in Virginia--all clear sky, low humidty and an energetic breeze--it was easy to pay attention. I could witness the weeds in the garden, the moths, slugs, caterpillars and beetles. I could assess the pots I made in Tasmainia with fresh eyes and enjoy being home--the place that rhymes with poem.
Advice from a Bat
Hunt only at night. Fly erratically.
Defy even your own expectations.
Feed on beetles, moths, and mosquitoes,
whatever is small and annoying.
Cultivate the myths about you
until every predator fears your legend.
When hunting, be guided by a language
only you can hear. The same is true
when courting the one you love.
Clean fangs and fur nightly. Crawl
or climb to confuse the observant.
Retreat to a cave no one believes in.
Let the day and the world pass
while you sleep, and sleep upside down,
ready to wake and fall into flight.
--Michael T. Young
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