Miracle And Mystery (For Brian) Poem by Dónall Dempsey

Sinking into the ooze
that crept along the river bank

(and trapped our feet
and stole our footprints)

I followed in your footsteps
treading only where you tread

safe in the shape
your big foot made

I place my little foot
unafraid.

“Shhhhhhhh! ” you stopped – with a
sudden sucking sound that said: “See...! ”

I looked and saw
a flash of incredible blue

that could only be
the colour of a dream
come alive
in someone’s eyes.

Kingfisher and prey
disappearing into a tree

made more green
by what I’d seen.

My footprints
frozen in your footprint

both of us lost
iIn a dream

of the bluest blue imaginable

as the river flew by
laughing to itself

as if it had created it

reflecting everything that had
come to be.