retreat

lots of planning
goes into
leaving

leaving
in order to
retreat

no one understands
why
i
do this

why not go someplace
     exciting
they say
why not
     take
     me ????

it's the trees
     you see
and the space
and the time-
     time
     not to speak
     not to think
or
     to speak and think
of God
     while walking
     among trees

it is difficult
to explain
even
to me

there's something about
being among
ones own kind
people who believe
that God is real
and can be seen
people who speak ones own language
people trying to see
trying to connect
trying to find
their own hearts
and their connection
with the larger heart of God

it's not so easy sometimes
it's not really like a vacation
     -with fine wine and windsurfing-
it's more like diving deep
     within
to find
     -what's in there-