A Baby Crawls

Have You Forgotten What She Knows?

A baby crawls
along the ocean’s edge
of cold sand, salty sweep

left right left right,
hands and knees oppose, a metronome
of rhythmic determination.

She pauses on the regular
as her gaze falls
on the infinite new:

a stone, a shell,
some seaweed that offends.
No hesitation — in one smooth motion

she palms to catapult, it
launches behind her
with nary a glance--
what’s past is past.

On and on she goes,
present to the task at hand,
unaware

of her mother standing guard
or what it means
to drown.

Oh baby girl, please
remember what you know
right now:

how to stay true
to your chosen path;
how to clear its

non-delights
with insouciance; and
how to trust

in the fathomless love
that may leave no footprint
by your side

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Thank you for reading or listening to The Art of Freedom. This post is public so feel free to share it.

I’d love to know what you’re thinking. Let’s chat!

As always, keep your light shining bright.

Mary