Broken ivories br playing br the blue piano br of the sea. br br We have come br from the bitter city br to heal ourselves. br We have come br looking for a patch of beach br not yet built into a fortress br of real-estate greed, br a coral reef br not yet picked clean br of buried treasure, br not yet bare of birds. br br The first night in the Keys, br I dreamed I was a bird br soaring over a hilly city, br soaring & dipping br like a gull or egret. br & I thought: br 'Ah- this is a flying dream! br Enjoy it.' br br But I really think br that my soul br has been transported br for a night br into the body of br a bird br & I was flying. br br I woke up br exhausted, br arms weary, br eyes red. br The beach was dazzling br with its white sand, br the sun blinding, br & I seemed to know the palm trees br from above br as well as below. br br They root in the sand br with elephant feet, br yet they also root br their delicate fronds br in air. br & these are a comfort br as you fly br half bird, half human br through a dream of sky. br br Everything was new br to a spirit br so divided br between two kingdoms. br The water was alive br with fish, br the air with birds br & palm fronds, br clouds, thunderous presences br of rain br gathering & parting, br & fiery sun playing through. br br I knew br that I stood br on a patch of earth br connected to the sky, br that my heart beat br with the sea, br that my arms moved br with the clouds, br that my flesh br was finally irrelevant br though it surrounded me br as the case of a piano br surrounds its strings, br while the fingers play br on the ivory keys br & the human music br rises to the sky.