<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">Wedded to the Darkness</span></div><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;"><span class="s1"> </span></p><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">Only when the storm comes</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">roaring off the wild California coast</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">bringing its raging rain and wind</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">swirling around the edges of my fears</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">can I know the power</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">of the magnificent roots of the old oak tree</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">clinging like a net of tangled hair</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">twisted and knotted into the earth</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">wedded to the dark</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">holding the swaying branch-laden tree</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">firmly to its source.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">Only then can I feel</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">and bow down to the darkness</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">to the fertile terrain</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">where life is held and nourished</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">Only then can I know</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1">I depend on the darkness for light.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; widows: 1;" class=""><span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Judith Shiner</span></div></body></html>