The Word in Focus with Dr Larry Taylor

Stories, legends, myths shrouded in misty

Fog, awash with strange winds, abound about 

What may or may not be on the other 

Side of the portal, which, from this side

Looks so ordinary, so bland, so unrevealing.

Liminal space of fearful unknown

Still the old man squinted bravely

As if seeing what cannot be seen

As if hearing what cannot be heard

As if knowing what is unknowable

A hint of salt on the soft breeze

Bidding the curtains dance, the

Leaves tremble, and the old man

To rise, to float, to drift on a 

Current of nothingness as

Cosmic chaos swirls into order, a

Cosmic symphony tuning up now

Falls silent waiting for the maestra to

Take her bow, mount the podium and

Lift her baton

Music of the spheres, ethereal, soft,

Delicate, airy, wafting, weaving, folding

Back on itself, building, now joined by

An other-worldly chorus of wingéd creatures

Planets providing the bass notes

As if drifting on a river on a summer day

He floats through the doorway into utter

Darkness, now falling, falling, ever falling,

Fears peel off like dried scales as he falls

Towards gentle, loving, nihility 

But light enters as he falls past

Suns, moons, nova, flaming galaxies,

Past golden fields of wheat where

Lions graze with gazelles, where

Cataracts explode in glistening diamonds

Eagles and albatross soar with him

The cosmic symphony stirs the souls of

Dancing fawns and cheerful elves

The light brightens, he lands softly

In a meadow filled with flowers

Greeted by bees and birds and butterflies

He turns toward the sound of rushing water

Which seems somehow to be playing a solo

In the midst of the cosmic symphony 

Frogs and toads singing along

A beam of pure light shines down from 

The heavens illuminating a mountain top

Covered in golden snows and emerald jewels

A river of light flows from the mountain 

Flooding the valley’s wadi with liquid love

His body is young and strong 

He drops to his knees and

With face immersed, feels a surge

Of energetic joy as he drinks

Deeply of cool, pristine, light

Only then does he become aware of

The vast clan around him – people of

All ethnicities and nations, animals,

Birds, sea creatures, creatures of

Myth and fable, trees and flowering plants

Strange angelic creatures with wings and eyes,

Multiple faces, sea-serpents leaping playfully

Tears flowing as enemies embrace

Dancing unicorns and purring kittens

Laughter compliments the music

A vast table appears set with the finest of China

Chairs with rainbow fleece-pillowed seats

Fine linen, clean and bright; flowers in vases

Unfamiliar, unrecognizable, yet sumptuous 

Foods on silver platters

Bison, dolphins, spiders, and people

Take their seats with cherubim,

Seraphim, thrones and powers

Goblets filled from the river of light

Toast l’chaim!

And all is well

All is well

All manner of 

Things 

Are well