born of darkness 
die into darkness 
the dark our home-of-homes 
the womb 
in which I sleep, 
I require dark 
as much as light 

look up at night 
the sweep of stars 
wraps me ’round 
a comforter, a cloak 
of uncharted space—
but unknown’s here 
in sunlight too 

it’s not the dark’s support 
but the mystery beneath 
both light and night—
enigma holds us all 
dependably surprising 
reliably true 
our only stable ground 

Amrita Skye Blaine

develops themes of aging, coming of age, disability, and spiritual awakening. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University in 2003. She is the author of a memoir and three novels, and her writing has been published in twelve anthologies including five poetry anthologies. Blaine started writing poetry seven years ago at age seventy. She has the practice of writing a poem every morning at first light. Her poems have been accepted by Soul-Lit: a journal of spiritual poetry; Heart Balm; Delta Poetry Review; Braided Way Magazine; and The Merton Seasonal.

Author’s prose website: https://www.skyeblaine.com/

Author’s poetry website: the heart of the matter