I Do Not Know Its Name

He leaned and whispered as he turned the page And he said "Make yourself into a flame" A crazy old lion with his hair all backlit Grinnin' like a little boy who has a secret I do not know its name Though it's ever intertwining And I believe it must look like an old man shining We were eating summer peaches by a roadside stand Juice running down like laughter on our chin and on our hands When we were done we looked around and smiled at each other And you said, 'Come on Carrie, let's have another" I do not know its name No matter how I try But I think it must taste like peaches eaten by the roadside He drove a rental car shuttle to the airport on Sundays We chatted that gray morning 'bout the choir he sang with Wednesdays He sang a haunting gospel hymn shameless and clear With only me a wandering stranger sitting there to hear I do not know its name Elusive and subtle But I believe it must sound like that man singing in the shuttle Standing in the river barefoot in the current I hear a bird call and try to learn it The water is a wonder, it's cold and fast and deep I saw fish go swimming out too far for me to reach I do not know its name Swimmer or watcher But I believe that there is always something Moving beneath the water If holy is a sphere that cannot be rendered There is no middle place because all of it is center I do not know its name I do not know its name I do not know its name --- I Do Not Know Its Name - Carrie Newcomer