What now?

I tumbled out of the dark

into a primordial, gurgling ocean

of eternal undulation—

where I might have stayed forever.

But the shimmering breath of the world

was already calling the waters forth,

and they gushed into light

on the moon’s own day.

Yet, still, I lingered

in the long dark tunnel

between the worlds.

Finally, like a golden rose 

risen into form, 

spun out of the same spiral 

as the milky way, 

arising from the black diamond 

of space, 

I was born 

into afternoon sunlight, 

waxing crescent moon overhead, 

ancient photon whispers

from the combustion of stars

showering the earth;

the history of the light of the universe 

encoded in my bone,

the spiral forms of galaxies being born

encoded in my breath.

What vibrancy begins now 

to bloom into gesture?

Now, under the luminosity of Earendel, 

morning star of the ancient universe,

reaching across the eternity of distance,

caressing our skin,

calling forth our original brilliance.

—Lorena (2017, 2025)