Proof

We have photo after photo
of splashes--

 white wings of water
against blue silk,

 swirls and eddies
showing where just a moment ago

 a fin, a head, a tail
disappeared into the quiet dark

 of the sea.  And this is just how
it should be, when we show photos

 down south at Christmas to curious
relatives, contemplating Alaska.

 This is just how it should be
when we try to remember our own lives

 and what brought us to this
moment.  We can see the imprint

 of hope on the surface of our faces,
while in our bellies, something dives

 deep.



Published in Northern Review