I Do Not Know Its Name - Carrie Newcomer

He leaned and whispered as he turned the page

And he said make yourself into a flame

A crazy old lion with his hair all backlit

Grinnin' like a little boy who has a secret

I do not know its name

Though it's ever intertwining

And I believe it must look like an old man shining

We were eating summer peaches by a roadside stand

Juice running down like laughter on our chin and on our hands

When we were done we looked around and smiled at each other

And you said come on carrie let's have another

I do not know its name

No matter how I try

But I believe it must taste like peaches eaten by the roadside

He drove a rental car shuttle to the airport on Sundays

We chatted that gray morning 'bout the choir he sang with Wednesdays

He sang a haunting gospel hymn shameless and clear

With only me a wandering stranger sitting there to hear

I do not know its name

Elusive and subtle

But I believe it must sound like that man singing in the shuttle

Standing in the river barefoot in the current

I hear the sound a bird calling and I try to learn it

The water is a wonder it's cold and fast and deep

I saw fish go swimming out too far for me to reach

I do not know its name

Swimmer or watcher

But I believe that there is always something

Moving beneath the water

If holy is a sphere that cannot be rendered

There is no middle place because all of it is center

I do not know its name

I do not know its name

I do not know its name