The earth spins and spins
on its axis. Simultaneously it circles (that is its axis
circles), year in, year out, around the sun, its unswerving
journey. The process is a bit complicated
to visualize, but the (well a) result of it is this: the beginning
is always arrving. New day? new year?—look east and there it comes:
across the ocean, over the mountains, through the bedroom window.
Always the journey is to, as well as from. Always leaving is prelude (precondition, in fact) to arriving.
Is there any chance some hopeful, philosophic import can be derived
from these (fundamental) facts
of our planetary existence—something like There is no loss without gain,
or, maybe, Death is merely prelude to life?
Of course the reverse seems equally true. So that’s a rub.
Still, What goes around comes around, we say, facing east—
from the top of some rise, preferably.
--Wayne Dodd, 2004