Atop a sloping hill,
at the end of a gravel road,
can a new life start here?

A watercolor painting,
an ekphrastic poem,
an essential oil healing remedy,

A glimpse at new stars above,
or stars new to me,
almost older than eternity.

I never expected solid ground
under my feet, rock
more ancient than humanity.

It surprised me, like a lot does
in my life, what’s sitting here
a couple billion years.

As I never dreamed of
becoming a yoga instructor,
an aromatherapist,

A painter, always living
in the same place, and until now,
I am all these things.

Torrents blow, oaks sway,
instances change in an instant,
one second yes, the next no.

One moment, let’s go,
another,
I can never.

But didn’t I dream
of bearing an accent mark
in my otherwise Celtic name?

To someday find matching initials
like C.C. Rider
in that song “Jenny Take a Ride?”

To embrace a Latin lover
like the lily-colored lady did
in the movies?

To have an Asian grandson?
All of the above
came true.

I envision my future at the current moment,
only a blank, but peaceful screen
arises before me.

Or is this
the endless sky above me,
atop a sloping hill?