I stopped for a moment beside a park an listened. With each breath the world became louder and less predictable; it seemed full of surprises. The morning sun and the tireless wind were twirling in a dance. And the ice on the branches of the trees was groaning as it let loose its grasp.

Old footprints in the snow reminded me of stories that would never be retold, and I eyed my life with suspicion. It seemed for a moment that my cherished memories were only lies.

As I wandered toward the long shadows of the trees, I imagined that my feet left no traces in the snow. I wanted to move silently and have no effect. I held my breath and closed my eyes to keep the world out, and to keep my presence from marking time. In a silent oath, I traded my life for a river; and I held my arms outstretched to wade in the currents of liquid air.

The sky became a reflecting pool, and in it the earth lay flat and silent. I dropped my conscience to create a ripple in my mind and I begged my heart for forgiveness. My veins felt rusty and stiff.

Through my eyes I created a boat, some soft light, and an empty vessel for something more. The end had inspired a new beginning. I turned in a circle and forged a new life from my iron-rich blood. I could feel the motion of the earth in its orbit. I clinched my jaw to resist the urge to speak out loud. I put my hands out in front of my face and saw them holding nothing but the future.

I stared wanly at the sky and felt the hunger return.