Keren Valin Osgood

University of Illinois

Urbana Champaign

Out of the deep,

forest green, fresh mist,

a pilgrim approaches, drinking

in the heavy air, thick

with dissolving leaden circles

of bells tolling across the shrouded hills.

A temple rises out of the fog,

as silken ladder vaults across the sky

hang down with lush verdant arms

to lift up any who pass.

The pilgrim steps through the veil,

ascends the stairs and sounds

the temple bell:

As falls the cloud

– transient foot soldier –

as the gravel wears your

sole away,

so shall you

weaken…

         so stay.