Who saw us that night--

the night the earth was radiant in snow
under a waxing moon?

The road-with-no-name must have heard us laughing softly
from as far back as the bend 
as it turned north

And the firs, dark against the bright sky,
may not have even noticed us
lost  as they were
 in the tangles of their own shadows.

Winter susuki in swaths along the river,
were aware that something was different-- 
you could hear the faintest of whisperings among them.

Who saw us climb over the guard rails?
walk along the ravine deep with snow 
to lie on our backs  there

just to look at that wondrous sky?
 

The Silence of the vast universe--
of the moon, 
the stars 
and all things dark and brilliant
saw us
and held us in its gaze,
in its arms,
for a moment

that night the earth was radiant in snow.