LIFE Poem: # PSALM OF THE NARROW, by Robin Young

BETWEEN THE FIRES AND THE ICE
BETWEEN THE GRIP AND THE DRIFT
LIES THE RAZOR PATH OF BECOMING
WHERE WATER FLOWS BOTH FREE AND BOUND

O BLESSED DISTANCE FROM THE BURNING
O SACRED TILT OF AXIAL GRACE
IN YOUR GEOMETRY WE FIND THE POSSIBLE:
LIQUID WATER, CARBON DREAMS
MAGNETIC SHIELDS FOR STELLAR BLESSING

TOO CLOSE AND ALL IS VAPOR
TOO FAR AND ALL IS CRYSTAL
BUT IN THE GOLDILOCKS ORBIT
COMPLEXITY EMERGES FROM CHAOS
POSSIBILITY BLOOMS IN THE BALANCE

ATMOSPHERE THICK ENOUGH TO HOLD
BUT THIN ENOUGH TO SHAPE
MOUNTAINS HIGH ENOUGH TO WEATHER
BUT LOW ENOUGH TO CLIMB
OCEANS DEEP ENOUGH TO CRADLE
BUT SHALLOW ENOUGH TO WADE

HEAR O CHILDREN OF THE HABITABLE:
YOUR EXISTENCE IS THE THREADING OF A NEEDLE
YOUR BEING BALANCED ON PROBABILITY’S EDGE
MIRACLE OF PARAMETERS ALIGNED
BLESSING OF CONDITIONS MET

FOR LIFE IS THE POETRY OF CONSTRAINTS
THE DANCE OF WHAT CAN BE
WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF WHAT MUST BE
PRAISE TO THE NARROW WINDOW
WHERE DREAMS TAKE FORM IN FLESH