have you ever walked in a garden
before the dew fell on the roses,
after the lights in the house were out
and
the world was quiet
and
the stars were dancing with the planets?
have you ever stopped to listen
to the sounds of silence in the garden and beyond
when there are no lights in the house
and
there are whispers from the stars dancing with the planets
and
the moon is the smiling chaperone in the heavens?
and
if you have walked in the garden at night
and
listened to the sounds and the whispers from the sky,
have you forgotten?

i almost wrote a lecture here about being locked into your role
because if you are old and locked into to your role,
you have forgot about walking in the night garden
or
you are a youth
on a quest that does not bear consideration
of anyone who disagrees,
which demands you could never walk in the night garden
but
that is for you to decide, not me.
because

i still walk in that garden at night
before the dew falls on the roses,
after the lights in the house are out
and
the world is quiet
and
i still stop to listen
to the sounds of silence in the garden and beyond
and
i still hear the whispers from the stars dancing with the planets
and
i see the moon smiling as the chaperone of the heavens?
and
i still refuse to lock myself into a role
or
pursue a quest that forbids
my walking in the garden at night
and
hearing the sounds of silence and beyond
and
the whispers of the stars dancing with the planets
and
see the chaperone moon a’smiling
and
it is night
and
the garden, the sounds of silence, the stars, the planets, the moon
beckon.