The Soul Slinger

You know how to do it --
you've done it many times.
First you look for a sturdy branch
which forks into a Y,
you trim it and tailor it,
turn it this way and that,
hold it up against the sun,
and let it gather the span
of the sky. Then you attach,
skillfully, an elastic band
to both prongs and give it
a careful try, testing the reach,
feeling the snugness in the hand,
listening for your cue.

The world gets quiet and waits, perched,
to see you try.

And you know what to do.
When the first beam of light
streams in, and the good
wind rises in the leaves,
you're alert to the subtle sounds
of those feet whose tread
you know almost as yours.
You lift the sling, pull the band,
and let it fly, your soul,
wishing it godspeed and
a pair of open arms
where it lands, and even
time has stopped to watch
the magic of hope unfold.