Meeting Baba Again

Meeting Baba again,

cautious to watch my words,

asking about the Land of

Spells and Enchantments.

"Where is it?" she said, looking

at me sharply. "It's everywhere."

"Everywhere?"

Some quick steps forward,

taken to a tree at sunset.

Baba's apron hung full of seed bounty.

Seeds in the grass, seeds on the

limbs and boughs.

"I see."

Waving her wizened hands wide,

of a beauty like sun-baked

rock, sturdy, knowing and complete.

"This tree is like that now, and it

will be like something else come sunrise."

Nodding, to me it seemed so, it was true.

"Not magic?" I said.

"Oh magic of a kind, but you

must see it. See it for what it is."

"It is magic then," I said.

Saying nothing, she placed a gathering

of seeds in my palm. They

were warm from her

sunbaked hands.

copyright Monika Roleff 2006.