Listening Warrants Hearing

Low and below finds

The humble ant toiling,

Its path uncertain,

Yet never without purpose.

Navigation high or low,

Dry sand or underwater,

Their closed spiracles

Allow their exploration

Where unseen opportunities might abound.

Above,

The sparrow’s wings beat,

Riding nature’s breath,

Eyes sharp,

Seeking sustenance,

Under dimly lit cloud banks,

Where a morsel,

A banquet,

A guardian might be discovered.

In between reality and illusion,

Man struggles,

Uneasy in the journey,

Seeking new definitions,

Feet for more than walking,

Hands for more than grasping,

Reaching to touch hearts yearning.

To be part of the select few,

Diving into the unknown,

Be it the ocean depths,

Or the dreaming of infinite space,

Embracing any discomfort,

 Learning lessons that surpass the ignorance

Of a couch life of naps,

Finding unexpected realities

Giving rise to perceived importance.

Ah, such rewards.

Fewer still,

Some reject the tangible,

Choosing personal quests,

Like that of the ant’s resilience,

And the sparrow’s agility,

Connecting the perceived elusive dots,

Illuminating epiphanies

Often inexperienced by those

Of retirement mindset.

If only…

All would remember,

Life’s multitude of subtle secrets,

Like the mission of steaming air,

Exploration that has no end,

Regardless of fewer years left.

Yes…

Right to the end,

Life is still breathing in all its majesty,

Still asking,

“How many actually listen and hear what their senses tell them?”