The Lion’s Song

Artwork and poem by Richard Neville

waiting early morning

waiting in the white open

awaiting what more

only the still silence

snow in the early morning

awaiting steps and tracks an opening

towards the wall of stones dark in the white

an opening beyond

the sound of sea beyond

where the headland curves into ocean

there in the white there is something new

there in the white there is a mist from which comes someone new

there in the white there is the spume of seafall, the wrack of the flotsam brought to the beach

so actions turn to steps upon the white

in this opening there is a question, to which there is no answer,

except the careful step that takes from one end of the field to the other

from one end of the day to the other

from one end of the pause to the

other end of the breath which opens and speaks

let the throng rush in the space between

let the water clear and become clean

let the water course cool and even and in the gentle slipping dipping serene

let all settle and all be seen