DESCRIPTION:
THE DAY THE WAVES COME
I'LL STAND WAITING PATIENTLY
FACING THE FIERY FLAMES OF THE BLAZING SUN

STUTTERING LIKE I ALWAYS HAVE
CLUTCHING MY CHILDREN
HUSHING THEIR TEARS THROUGH MY SAWED-OFF LAUGH

MAYBE WE'LL PAUSE FOR A SECOND
REMEMBER THOSE CALM FALL DAYS
WHEN WE DREAMT OF VERMONT AND THE SOFTNESS OF HEAVEN

AS DECEMBER APPROACHED US
REMEMBER THE CLOSENESS OF HOME
AND THE HOLIEST MOMENTS

THERE ARE GHOST IN THESE RENDERINGS
I'VE REMOVED THE SKIN CLOTHES
EXPOSING THE CENTER PEACE

FOR HEAVEN SAKES
BREAKING WAVES AND IM FRAMING THESE FINAL SHOTS

A MOMENT STANDING STILL
EYES LOCKED
LIKE STATIONARY NIGHT STARS

THE TSUNAMI IS TOO SOON
WHEN I LOOK AT YOU

MILLISECOND ETERNITIES
IN MOTIONLESS, ENDLESS GRAINS OF SAND
DROPPING INTO A BOTTOMLESS HOURGLASS

THE WATER IS COLD AT OUR KNEES
THE AIR IS SALTY DAMP AND GREY
IT REMINDS ME OF WEST GEORGIA BAPTISMS
IN HUMID SUMMER LAKES
NEAR A CIVIL WAR CEMETERY

I WAS YOUNG AS YOU THEN
BUT IN WAVES AGE IS MEANINGLESS
ONLY A FACE AND PAGE IN THE LAMBS BOOK

THE DAY THE WAVES CAME
WE WERE STANDING ON A RIVERBED
AT THE BASE OF AN ANCIENT VOLCANO

FOUR SOULS
STEPPED INTO A CROSS IN THE VOID
HOLDING HANDS

WE'D BEEN BUILDING OUR DREAM HOUSE
HOMESTEADING AND SETTING THE SCENE
FOR THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN WE'D BRING DOWN

A SWINGING DOOR ON A FRONT PORCH
FACE TO FACE WITH THE FORREST
A HOUSE OF SINGING CHILDREN
PLAYING CHURCH GOD SANG THE CHORUS
AND THE WHOLE WORLD FELT SAFE AND WARM AND HOLY IN ACCORDANCE

BEFORE THE WAVES CAME
WE SAW THE FIRST LEAVES OF FALL CHANGE SLOW
PAINTING TREE LINED STREETS WITH THE DEEPEST TONES OF
AUTUMNS SUNDRY RAINBOW
AND WATCHED AS BRANCHES BENT IN WIND
THEIR PETALS TRIED TO HANG ON

WHEN THE WAVES COME
I'LL HANG ONTO YOU
CHAINED IN SPIRIT
WHILE THE WATER WASHES OVER US

TIED BY OUR TIME AS THE SUNLIGHT HITS THE CREST

TWENTY ANGELS TAKEN TO THE SOURCE OF TINY BREATH

AND WE ALL ASK... WHY?

THE WAVE CAN BE AN INSTANT
OR A LONG AND DRAWN OUT FLATLINE
A SWELL OF WATER
OR A LOUD, SMASHING, VEIL-LIFTING THUNDER

BEFORE OUR WAVE COMES
LET'S HOLD HANDS AND
DANCE IN THE FALLING LEAVES
UNTIL THE WINDS OF WINTER TELL US... ITS TIME TO GO IN

UNTIL OUR WAVE COMES
I VOW TO NOT IGNORE YOU
TO LISTEN PATIENTLY AND INTENTLY TO EVERY INNOCENT WORD

BECAUSE THE TSUNAMI IS TOO SOON
AND THE WATER IS COLD, DARK AND FINAL

THE SHORELINE IS SHRINKING, SO RUN WITH ME TO BUILD A FIRE.

-Joseph Keenan Smith - Kin Keezy, Dec. 20, 2012

In honor of Atalaya, Huxley, Nicole, Twenty Angels and life.