At Ridges Sanctuary

As the morning breaks and
the sky clears into light,
we move along the path, deep into the darkness
of the trees.

We stop, then.
Our breath stops.
The birds stop their morning chatter, too.

A holy silence holds us.

and – the path comes alive as we move again, our footsteps
on this precious earth:
this Giver of All,
this Holy Mistress.

—Mary Elyn Bahlert, at Ridges Sanctuary, 2025