Pandemic Labyrinth

Arcs are proof of God’s existence.

rainbow bent from earth to earth;

small of back and nape of neck – pleasure’s arc;

the encircled arms of mother-love;

moon and sun and traveling stars,

rising and dipping, east to west.

All of them, sacred curves -- gift and receipt.

And now this.

The arc of time slowed down.

“We need to flatten the curve,” they say,

and the regular-everyday, it stops until this viral arc is pressed down at the middle.

Getting outside (we can still do that),

We walk out on the ocean bluff, feeling sun and breeze, watching egrets stalk as they always do.

There’s a labyrinth here, its trimmed and layered semi-circles of vegetation living among black volcanic rocks;

An open invitation: walk the arcs, ask the questions, approach the center:

God, what do you want me to know about _____?

How do I make sense of ____?

Am I living the life I should be living?

Are you here?

Suddenly, a girl in shorts jumps from the edge and hurdles over green and sand,

And plops down at the center, sitting lotus style, boyfriend laughing.

“Smile!” he says, and snaps her picture.

Instagram.