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Florens & Kesslau – August 2025

Taya Sanderson Kesslau and Josephine Florens traded art and words. Josephine shared this artwork, titled “Your Footprints,” with Taya:

painting of the ocean with birds flying over and footprints in the sand

In response, Taya wrote this poem:

Brief Moments of Exchange

          a pantoum of footprints

Follow the steps beside the sea,
through the cleansing spray of waves.
Grief is not the end. Be still. Be glad.
Be baptized in droplets like salted tears.

Through the cleansing spray of waves,
in the holy space where the seabirds cry,
be baptized in droplets like salted tears.
Aware, what you need is here

in this holy space where the seabirds cry –
what you seek you find!
Trust what you need is here
on the wide shore beside an ocean of wisdoms.

Knowing what you seek you find,
follow the steps beside the sea
on the wide shore alive with oceans of wisdom.
Grief is not the end. Be still. Be glad.

* * * * *

Taya shared this poem with Josephine:

March Whale Medicines

Dive down deep 
 to the inky fluid dark.

Plan to stay a while.

With eyes closed
             or open
remember the ancient ways.

The unseen realms
     as they take shape
        around you.

            Wake up
from the illusion
   of limitation.

Then follow the path of gladness
            a trail of starlight
                    a wake of phosphorescence

up from the depths
  to the dream 

of waves brushed feathery with photons
   of wind and sunlight and gravity.

In response, Josephine made this image, titled “Whale Medicine”:

a painting of a whale beneath the water looking up toward a lighter sky