Dante recalling an encounter with Beatrice
       

One afternoon while thinking of you, Beloved, I left
the house and went walking along a path through
some woods. The joy in my heart was everywhere
around me — in the gentle but steady breeze; in the air
bathed in sunlight; in the leaves dancing up off the path
in my wake; and in the woodland creatures, stirring,
hidden from view. Imagine my surprise, then, when all of
a sudden a great sound from high overhead began
exploding in my ears! It was deafening! I looked up
and could see, through the trees, a flock of black
crows cawing wildly, darting now here, now there
across the winter sky, while gliding serenely
in their midst was a lone white dove. The spectacle
held me transfixed... When at last my gaze fell back
onto the path before me, I noticed a young woman
coming into view. I watched her as she approached —
her skin was fair, her hair long and flowing. When finally
our paths crossed I looked her in the eye and suddenly
said, "Have you ever seen crows chasing a dove?"
She looked up to meet my gaze, said firmly, "No," then
quickly vanished down the path through some trees.
I stood there, dumbfounded... It was not until later,
upon returning by the same path through the woods,
that I understood the joke had been on me!
And right then and there, Beloved, I laughed aloud
as I had never laughed aloud before. And while still
thinking of you, wiped the tears from my eyes.

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Copyright © 2019 Alan Botsford All rights reserved
from mamaist: a different sort of light
Dark Woods Press
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission