Poems

Willow shire

Weeping willow beside the river
Bowed down and thick trunked
Seasons flowing past
But steady you stay baring the memories
For the rest



Sitting Together

Mama you forgot we have to do the
sitting down close our eyes thing
Oh, you remembered, you want to Ok
Sit crisscross apple sauce
Rest your hands on your knees close your eyes
Think one happy word and say it inside your head
Breathe in – breathe deeply so they hear me –
I listen for their echoed inhale
Exhale loudly now do it again
again
again
again – giggles breath giggles are we done
Yes, I come back to them and they to me

Poetry Today

My wife got me a miniture rock garden as a gift
It sits perfectly still on my desk
Neatly raked everything in its place
Three stones three models (cottage cottage swan)
Two trinities
Equally spaced perportional grace
Swan fallen awaiting its arising


Questions of place and space and my place within the space
Questions of grace within divine conversation of late
Questions to grapple and wrapple and untangle within inner sactum

Internalized treasure chests lay claim to anwsers yet unvocalized
Open me open me open me you see
Ah yes maybe no what if what if not oh so oh bother

What kind of risk taker am I
Well that depends on whether you ask the mother or the other idealist inside
What balance what risk what compromise

Gifts upon gifts and life experience
Heavy from the holding in
But for the grace of God where go I

Silence

Tears

So there’s pain in the water
A bitter drink to swallow
Being left maybe to swing…
…from the gallows

From the land of milk and honey
To the land of power and money
Ultimatums
…swaying in the wind

Who will take me down
And rub my body with anointment
Who will take me down
And rap my body in cloth

Bare this cross a little longer
One more season
One more
It is too much already



Questions
Will you sit at my table
and eat with me
Will you sit at my table and eat
as Paul or as Peter

Like water added to wine
You can’t undo the act

poems

Chest pains stress pains it’s been awhile
Deep breath slow breath healing energy
through my right hand
Guided to the center of my chest aches

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pin-soul eyes closed photography
One tree comes into focus
Lush green meant for me
Image fades all goes white
Where am I
No, no, want to go back

Happy Poetry Escapes Me

I'm not one who can really write happy poetry - I get close with nature poems.

This one I wrote on a napkin while taking fast food orders many, many, many years ago (it's still one of my favorites):
Soft light glowing
A kaleidoscope of colors in the sky
Making everything appear pure, untouched
Gentle rays shining down
Awakening life with its unheard sound
Quiet morning peace

This one was written sometime between '98-99:
In your arms and with your mouth slowly I turned to dust
As your breath escaped – your words scattered what remained of my heart
My soul has begun a journey trying to trace my path backwards from you
But my arrogance planted mustard seeds and the path back is overgrown

Today - randomness, just letting the words out, no meaning some meaning maybe yes I think cause and effect:
Into the void I plunge arctic waters black as black as the nightless moon
Buoyant waitless still sinking cold like the warm womb
The current carries me in its embrace by my undertoe
Deeper and deeper my lungs collapse but really they should explode
The force of which would push me upwards to float eagle-like
Looking into the depths where all answers lie my intimate self

Inspired by reading to my daughter about Polar Bears.

No Cipher Needed

Sticks and stones and needles
holy, holy, holy
shout down - shout out
get out
holy, holy, holy

betwixt between my scene
holy, holy, holy
fire and ashes
lent is near
holy, holy, holy

no where some where under where
holy, holy, holy
oil water unction
buckling knees
holy, holy, holy

She tells me shapes
She tells me colors
She tells me directions

She counts
She identifies
She imagines

She has more wisdom than I
She has more life than I
She speaks words truer than mine

So it comes in threes...
...Bad luck
...Dumb luck
...Rather'd no luck

...Three wishes
...Three wise men
...Three french hens

...And then finally...
A partidge
in a pear tree

- for Murat11