if traveling

if traveling

tread water rather than sink
if too hot dive into water
if wet get wetter
if dry get wet
if cool warm up
if north go south
if south go west
if hungry eat fruit
if doubting believe
if anxious study breathing
if paranoid let the imagination run out
if calm continue
if up look up higher
if person near touch before talking
if you hear wind chimes write
if outside stay out
build a fire before freezing

inside the box

inside the box

that there was light inside the innermost box
only the raven could see
red as black as the sea
& in the northwest
great carved poles with eyes
& beaver faces & tails
& ravens & eagles
stand in front of rectangular wooden houses
made from trees
& my sweet traveling companion gave me
a carved raven box
full of Haida stories.