For Catherine, my daughter
Don’t be afraid.
There is an order to all things.
In the blindness of the ocean floor
The spinefish survives.
The ancient snail finds its way.
Something that swims
Rises from the deep
Looks for and finds the land.
Through jungle trees
The lemur shrieks
Risks the leap
And discovers limits:
The indifferent suction of gravity.
It learns it can survive the fall.
In open space
The human walks and waits for stars
Studies how to survive.
I will tell you how:
When energy is gone
And your body can run no more
When pain has sucked you dry
When the spiders of
Fear
Sadness
Anger
Despair
Spit their poison through you
Stop.
Feel yourself.
Find the spiders
And let them go.
You will cry
Oh yes, and scream
And feel something in you
At last rip away.
In the peace that follows
In the silence of yourself
Think of the spinefish
Think of stars
Find a mirror or a pillow
And say outloud
What you know is true:
Don’t be afraid.
There is an order to all things.
Published in my book How to Survive,
August House, 1979
