Li Bo and the Bending Light

“What’s the most fun you can have</br> with bending light?” he wants to know</br>

as we sit on the banks of the Rainy River</br> watching sunbeams break into rainbows.</br>

I shrug, throw some bread out onto the water</br> and we watch small fish leap and thrash.</br>

Suddenly his face is filled with light,</br> his hair ablaze with honey-gold.</br>

Then, shadows of clouds and a quick cold</br> ripple of wind. His hands burn red,</br>

and as the waves shorten all through</br> the spectrum, orange, green and all the rest,</br>

until they pulse ultraviolet, as he turns</br> to shield my face from x- and gamma rays.</br>

When clouds pass, air warms around us as</br> sunshine glides softly over the long river’s</br>

curl. He smiles, his face starlit, his shining</br> hands soaked, transformed by mystery and joy.</br>