Volume 8, 2008

Happy Accidents

B.A. St. Andrews

With a Buddha’s certainty
you face the fact of stumbling into
states of grace that have absolutely

blessed nothing to do with what
you’ve earned any more than those
logs in the hearth deserve to burn

as artfully as that. It’s just a proven
metaphysical fact that some days
all locked doors seem to swing on

hinges.  For example that wooden
gate carved with the moon and stars
stands suddenly ajar and you walk

through to secret gardens you always
knew were there: columbine, trillium,
naiads everywhere. You hesitate in

momentary fear but the dragons of
permission simply don’t appear.  All
sorrow falls asleep as if an angel

spoke. You don an invisible cloak
and move free as light or smoke
across the thresholds of your

heart’s desire.  When you walk
unscathed within such sacred
fire try to string that amber flame

into a rosary you can finger to remind
you later when all doors are closed
again and bolted from behind.

Return to Table of Contents, Volume 8, 2008.