He stared blankly ahead; it had been 96 days. 

He kept count by watching the ice melting on the lake.

After so long in isolation, his world had halted to a stop. 

Characters emerged from every corner of his mind;

Some he'd already known; others he had yet to find. 

Some characters were loving.

Some characters were kind.

Some were hateful; some were blind.

Some were illuminating; others served to divide.

One would trick another to confide. 

Finally one day, the last character arrived.

This character did nothing; said nothing.

Was nothing. She simply held space.

And he felt peace in her embrace.

- The Sage Fool

2020