Greg Burton’s San Francisco Blog

to get to this place
find a crossroads
any crossroads will do
go at midnight
choose blindly
start walking
when you find a river
cross it
muddy banks
clear cold
turbulent center
keep your feet
or be swept away
take a cup with you
when you find the desert
cross it
dust devils
hot dry
sand dunes shifting
keep your mouth covered
lest you choke
take a pinch with you
if the forest is
burning, walk into
the fire.
ash and soot
trees in flame
cover your skin
or be consumed
take a burning branch
just in case
plunge the branch
into the cup
inhale the steam
scatter the sand
draw runes in it
with the branch
when you can
tell me where
you are here

–5/31/2008