We went in search of you,
Wild and elemental,
At home in the storm,
With feet that walk waves.
And we found you.
In sand-blasted skin
And salt-tanged lips,
In sun-beaten cheeks
And sea-sprayed hair,
In briny-deep swell
And wood-sweet smoke.
In grit between our teeth.
We went in search of you,
Spirit and creator,
Bidder of oceans,
Wilderness wanderer.
And we found you.
In swallows’ nest
And rock-pool weed,
In basking seals
And pebble beach,
In wide expanse
And sinking-sun glow.
In puffin’s clumsy gait.
We went in search of you,
Incarnate and relational,
Caller of all
To hallowed community.
And we found you.
In a bunkhouse
And in love that held our children,
In the arms of beach-met friends
And in nights of gin-soaked laughter
Carrying us past the stars to first light’s dawn,
In broken bread and sun-warmed wine.
In gathering around the table.
We went in search of you,
Threaded through history,
Eternally present,
Holder of time.
And we found you
In your story
And in ours,
In a beach breakfast barbecue
That echoed through time,
In Cuthbert’s eyes and hands and feet
And centuries-stretched shadow.
In memories shared and memories made.
We went in search of you.
And we found you.
Wild and elemental.
Spirit and creator.
Incarnate and relational.
Threaded through history.
We went in search of you.
And we found you.
Julie Wilkinson 