To My Teacher

In Memoriam: D. Brent Collette, Institute Teacher, Berkeley, California (died November 2000) 

You light between tall trees, never trip 
on roots—and yet leave heavy footprints. 
Bounding toward the surf, you pause for me: 
together we will touch the sacred. 
You dance barefoot before mystery. 
At once lamb and lion, holy fierce 
in childlike wonder, serpent wisdom, 
you tune your ears to hidden music: 
intelligence, the glory of God.