Passion’s Shoal
by Odin Roark

How subtle this at once protective
yet navigational hazard to the shore,
reminding us that one’s passion seeks
both the gentle laps of simple emotion,
as well as the unexpected wave-like tumult
life tempts us with.

Early on, the ebb and tide of experience
seems so relative, a simple adjustment,
circumnavigation around the undesirable,
an easily learned lesson for the once naive.

Later…

Remnants of historical experience,
the drainage of unconscious streams,
from mind’s glacial layering
creates the sand bar growth just beyond the shore,
submerged beneath the surface,
not purposely wishing to capsize
the sails of tomorrow’s adventure adrift.

After all, unchartered happenstances
need to come ashore where loneliness
might find support to anchor.

Yet…

How cautious we must be,
for one’s defensive sandbar,
this sentinel of cautionary protection
often preventing encroachment
upon one’s safe cove of contentment
may paradoxically be a self-imposed prison wall,
preventing new mistakes,
meaningful missteps into one’s worldly exploration,
where learning,
wisdom,
and the owning of earned passion might
be prevented from coming ashore.

What is left is to sit quietly on your island of isolation.
Watch closely the experiences
revealing themselves on the horizon,
asking if you need to swim out beyond the shoal,
become truly unprotected from the…

What?

Risk?

Discovery?

The closely held secret of you?