Outgoing

 Outgoing

There is quiet as afternoon 
slides toward evening.
Leaves of autumn,
scarlet, golden, ochre,
hardly stir.
 Blue sky darkens suddenly,
winds freshen,
rain sweeps in.
Though powerful,
the storm is quick
and everything settles anew.
I glance across the bay.
Golden light spreads
 across distant treetops, 
imbues calming waters.
That, right there is enough
to stir awe and joy.
But there’s more.
So much more.
Slowly…slowly… slowly…
colors start to tease
above the glow.
Spectrum stretches,
reflection reaches, 
Divinity distills. 
Outgoing all -
season, storm, day, tide.
An earthy, celestial,
cleansing  mix
of wonder.
Later, after a storm of a different nature,
I walk by the ocean,
again as the tide recedes.
I feel an outgoing of my own,
grateful for that which flows away
and that which permeates within.

Sarah Carlson
October 22, 2026