deduce*
(in memory of Jean Kennedy Smith (1928-2020) United States ambassador to Ireland)
by Ruth Esther Gilmore

through pleated green daylights    
where oceans lean on cliffs    
         fogs cling to cotton sails    
         crumbling to brittle dust    
pegasus outlines his vast flights      

i see into your heart    
discover the goodness
          and fiery courage
          to overcome challenges    
to finish whatever you start      

quiet valleys tenfold
are caressed by the winds    
           i see into your soul
           assured that you will not fail
to conclude the legends of old      

and when the dragons twist    
always hope against hope    
           mastering your veiled fears          
           with heartbeats of gained victories
always remain an optimist      

*from the book “braving life in these uncertain times” (Geest-Verlag) by Ruth Esther Gilmore