The Birth of the Universe

It all started from a spark
Or maybe
There was only matter all around
Inside the deep blue space
Particles of nothingness residing
Side by side with insignificant
Clouds of dust and magic
Planets and swirling
Galaxies with
Stars and light reaching beyond
Our understanding of
Life and the miracle we have in
Our existence in this
World where science is king over
All things that crawl upon the
Earth and skies
There was nothing and then
Something light occurred
Perhaps
We're not as alone as we like to think

(Now read from bottom to top)

Throwing Knives

The oldest brother stands in the backyard, teaching the two neighbor boys to throw knives.  They practice hitting the palm tree, making the metal stick into the tough bark.  The older brother poses between the younger boys, giving technique tips and making sure they follow the proper safety procedures.

No, wait to retrieve your knife until you've both thrown.  Don't tilt your wrist so much.  Here, watch me.

Whoosh.  The thin metal piece flies through the air and lands with a thud in the trunk of the palm tree.  The neighbor boys cheer, awed and amazed at their teacher.  They listen intently and pay close attention as he picks up the metal and paces back between them with a rare satisfied smile on his face.

One.  Two.  Three.  Each knife is a blur as it leaves its owner's hands, each one like a flash of silver lightning snaking its way through the misty gray air of the post-rain afternoon.

The two younger brothers join the other boys.  There are only three knives.  They must take turns.  The middle brother begins arguing with everyone else, and they shun his bellicose presence.  He fights more, and they refuse to let him practice.

Finally, the oldest brother picks up all three knives without a word and packs them away in his backpack.  Silently he jumps up the stone wall and lands over on the other side, disappearing from the scene.

The remaining four boys look at each other and the magic of the afternoon dissipates.  They all go their separate ways like cats fleeing the site of a skirmish.

Suddenly, the clouds completely obscure the distant mountains and drizzling rain begins to fall, as gently as a lover kisses his beloved goodbye.  While raindrops meet the ground in dreary jubilee, the middle brother picks a fight that requires the parents' involvement.  Defiant yells and harsh tones split the air like thunder cracking across the vast expanse of gray above.

In only an instant, the day is no longer peaceful, but charged with tension.

And the rain falls harder on the ground, turning dry earth to mud and washing away chalk drawings from yesterday.