What could this mean – darkness
as in the deepest night
without brilliance of bright moons
or morning stars in quiet flame?
Darkness as in a mid-day breeze
when all the flowers bloom
sway from side to side
without meaning, just shadows
of light wavering over stillness?

In the rain on a spring evening
darkness walks the garden
settles in among the small leaves
unfolding resplendent life
in flickering forms of fading light
their points punctuating darkness.

I see the heavens, flowers and the leaves –
darkness hiding in them, between
their folds, their flung lights
in all the mindless gaps
between the stars, before the sun
shimmering in every thing.

Portland, Oregon – May 1, 2017

My title and inspiration comes from the last verse of Stephen Mitchell’s translation of chapter one of the Tao Te Ching, of Lao-tzu:  “Darkness within darkness.  The gateway to all understanding.”