FURTHER IN

On the main approach to the city

as the sun sinks low.

Traffic backs up, crawls along.

It’s a torpid dragon, glittering.

I am one of the dragon’s scales.

All of a sudden the red sun

hits the middle of my windshield

and comes streaming in.

I am seen-through

and some writing shows up

inside of me

words in invisible ink

that appear

when the paper is held over fire!

I know that I must go far away

straight through the city and then

further, until it’s time to get out

and wander a long time in the woods.

Walk in the tracks of the badger.

It’s getting dark, hard to see.

There, on the moss, are some stones.

One of the stones is precious.

It can change everything,

it can make the darkness shine.

It’s a light-switch for the whole country.

Everything depends on it.

Look at it, touch it . . .