Lightning. Then, six heartbeats later,
its thunder. We say “thunder and lightning”
as if they were separate phenomena, but

they’re one, of course, at two speeds.
It’s the way our myths about Why Death
or Why Creation are really only stories

about a single state of existence
at two velocities. And in between the two:
six heartbeats. Lately, I find it everywhere.

The immediate glory (or pain) of love.
                    [six heartbeats]
          Then our song about it.