Jason Dean Arnold
Little Soul (after W. S. Merwin)
At dusk, wildflowers become low lavender fog, blurring
into thick oil brushstrokes, an abstracted landscape
that beckons my inner animal to movement
beyond the cage of my body.
A soft chorale of insect hum thickens the air, almost imperceptibly, leaving brief moments of silence.
Recognition.
At dusk, all is revealed as it is hidden.
My hand glows with you.
The time shown is the actual time.
In this stillness, I tell myself to
remember this dark reflective ribbon
of time and color as it is.
The stars are not yet visible, and love reveals itself
in their absence.
About the writer:
Jason Dean Arnold’s entire career has been devoted to the importance of education, from teaching in the K-12 setting to designing and teaching online courses for post secondary. He currently serves as the director for E-Learning, Technology, and Communications at the University of Florida’s College of Education. Jason has no ability to compartmentalize. As a result, his writing, visual artwork, and music (and other creative output) are all extensions of his love for learning.
Image: Misty Moonlight: Women of Ancient Times from the series Thirty-six Elegant Selections by Toshikata Mizuno (1866-1908). Woodblock print. Size unspecified. 1893. Public domain.
