North Cape Webcam

As I clean up from our dinner

here in a small village in France

Walter tells me

There are eight people 

watching North Cape, Norway’s webcam

at this moment.

And he is one. 

 

I go to see what it’s like 

In the northernmost fishing village in the world

Where the dark nights of September have come

and the streetlights on the edge of the harbor

Make undulating rivers of gold in the water.

 

I am captivated

And It is as quiet as an ancient fishing village would be

After the sun goes down.

There are no lights on in the houses

Everyone in them has gone to sleep.

 

But a big white van pulls out and drives down the road

out of the picture

Its lights for a moment

Reflected in a window.

And then again 

Quiet.

 

I want to see the faces of the

other people 

watching this peace with me.

First seven and

then four more who have joined us.

 

I want to see their eyes, watching calmly

while I feel our heartbeats slowing

and hear our breath going in and out

In bodies that all have lungs

And brains, and hearts to beat.

 

We would not talk,

Even if we could

We would just nod to each other

In kind recognition

Of what it is that drew us here 

And captured us.

 

The love that peace brings

would be carried by the waves of light

Weightless

Like the golden rivers on the water

of a dark harbor.