Meditation: Listening

Listen. Nearby,

water rushes through the hose,

birds twitter in a bush.

wind rustles leaves.

Listen out farther.

Crows cawing in a tree,

hammers on a building site,

distant dull roar of traffic.

Listen for the sounds of clouds

as they pile up, or scud along,

or fold themselves into rain.

Listen beyond. Meteors

sizzle though the air as they fall.

The earth and the moon

play chords around the sun.

The solar system thrums

a long, wavering note.

The galaxy rings out a haunting song

across the dark reaches of space.

And the universe? Does it echo

in me, in my body? Listen

to the hiss of the blood

through my ear drums, the hardly

audible thud of my heartbeat,

spiraling out to join that long,

floating music in the dark.