Sattva at Large – a poem by Wayne-Daniel Berard

Sattva at Large


The door said “Shekinah, 
Inc.” I started to knock but
heard “come” there you
sat behind a big desk 
cascade of yellow hair
like desert hyacinth 
turned upside-down, 
coral-colored long 
tunic matching the 
rose in your left hand
— were you writing 
with it, like pink quill
whose feathers had 
ascended, spiraled,
bloomed? “Enfin!”
your eyes smiled a
blue I was so close to
recognizing. “Your
training is complete”
which was good as I
was 70 and out of work
“What’s my position?”
“Sitting standing walking”
eyes blossomed wider like
smile, I could see wisps
of white floating across
them you put down the
stem “Your title,” lids
blinked like years “I
like to name the poem
last” you slide a folder 
across with imprint
of round glasses and
a scar white-outed in
coral and blue I open
it; calligraphy combining 
Obrigado font and Ben
Zion reads
        Sattva at Large
“Salary?” I ask
“Taken care of” and 
then I realized the entire 
earth of your eyes




Wayne-Daniel Berard, PhD, is an educator, poet, writer, shaman, and sage. An adoptee and former Franciscan seminarian, his adoption search led to the discovery and embrace of his Jewishness. Wayne-Daniel is a Peace Chaplain, an interfaith clergy person, and former college chaplain. He publishes broadly in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. His latest books of poetry include the full-length Art of Enlightenment and a chapbook Little Ghosts on Castle Floors, poems informed by the Potterverse, both with Kelsay Books. He is the co-founding editor of Soul-Lit, an online journal of spiritual poetry (www.soul-lit.com). Wayne-Daniel lives in Mansfield, MA with his wife, The Lovely Christine.