The Guest

To the young black-haired man
with the all-seeing eye
tattooed above his left
elbow:

you are going to think I am a
nosy idiotic beggar, but,
I wanted to tell you that -

you live in a unique and
amazing place in the world,
but you are so used to seeing
it that it has turned you
blind

the only weather that is real is
internal weather - how we
weather our own storms,
tsunamis, thunder and lightning,
high seas that would drown us,
tides, squalls, hurricanes - 
hold fast until they pass

and the weather is calm again,
our small boat still upright,
sailing

sometime, we will get our day
in the sun - balance
does come in time

remember - no grass is
greener, none

where you are now and what
you are now is all
there is:  an ever-
expanding tapestry that
makes a whole picture once
you get over the mountain
and down the other side.

From the Guest in Room 4.

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