one knot holds eyes
           another holds breath
            twin shadows stirring
           two features of a quiet mind
          awakening in hollow bark
        each waiting for a human glance
       each solving the same ancient riddle
      perception divided, perception shared
      silent stare of stone and timber
       phantom gaze of knot and grain
        two spectres of the same wild wood
            two stories told in bone
                each line becoming feature
                    each shadow shaping mouth
                      mind weaving presence
                          without needing a voice
                            without needing a soul
                              only the pulse of sight
                                only the trick of shade
                                  only the hunger to know
                                 watching without a face
                                staring without an eye
                               twin spirits of the bark
                              inwardly watching sky
                            outwardly watching Earth
                          both seeking form
                        both finding life
                      older than vision
                   older than reason
                 older than memory
               yet vision-born
             yet reason-shaped
              yet perfectly seen
               two glances meeting
                two glances merging
                 two glances breathing
                  into one vision
                   into one face
                     into one phantom