BELONGING

by Kathleen Dudley

as in a wave’s wondrous break, the syncopation of ocean surf, 

the moon’s waxing and waning, the sun’s ascent and assimilation 

paralleling train tracks, peas in a pod, a pearl in an oyster shell, 

wet water, hot solar sun-rays, cold as in chunky ice, 

the rustling of thousands of trees’ leaves in wind. 

homeostasis as in equilibrium,  

inner calm and its peacefulness and joy, 

health and happiness.

belonging

as in a period at the end of a punctuated sentence, 

a comma before “but,” & “e” before “i” after “c,”  

a woman and her wild feminine, a crone in her centered wisdom, 

a village of varied people, a warm-hearted woman and her mated man,  

lovers and their lingering kiss,

tears as in spilling sorrow, laughter as in jubilance, 

a crescendo and diminuendo

a heartbeat and life. 

belonging

as in a circle is whole--

without a beginning,

without an end

all complete—

belonging to itself, 

its entity

unified

and belonging without question—

one