Reliques

She glides through the water
of dark of night
past pictures of forgotten ancestors
buried in the silt,
amphorae scattering gold coins
like so many words of wisdom.
A moray eel darts,
a friend suspended in time.
Sunken ships speak
of journeys suddenly ended.
In a cave dreamless sleep
enfolds her, cradles her
in the womb of the sea,
until her time comes
once again
to rise up
and with hair streaming,
her feet trailing the seaweed
of dreams and visions,
she breaks through the membrane
of night and day
scattering golden shards
of sunlight everywhere,
giving birth
to the new day.