a moment of light ~

12 Saturday May 2012

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no different the ache
of eternity passing –
stolen the name we gave
to a dream
warmed to our heart
as one with our beating –
knew as we knew
of the waiting to be
stirs still in spirit
the place of becoming
strains as a breath on the night
drinks from the cup
we pass with our kisses
shines to the heavens
as a moment
of light

Author’s Note ~ Written for a friend and his wife, who were expecting
their first child in October. Instead, they now strain to fill the silence
left by words unspoken – grief that cannot be mentioned by name.

hands to my heart ~

11 Friday May 2012

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gather the crops
and lead me to pasture –
long woolen coats
and hats on the nail
sing me our song
to remind me of breathing
take me to meeting
where the creek
dries to bone

walk with me now
through the pain of becoming
what I feared most
when we parted that day –
a longing to fill
and woods without conscience –
carved our initials
much deeper
than ache

some faraway
somewhere –
the geese are returning
spread ‘cross the dark
til we can’t see the night
and fashioned their moon
from something
less shining –
was a moment we held
to forever this way

scatter my bones
as proof of submission –
but tell not the others
I was destined to fall –
read every word
aloud at my passing –
warm
let your hands
to my heart fold around

to hold this – the last
of my fragile intentions –
will you worry
for places I’m not
when darkness remembers
the breath of surrender –
long woolen coats
and geese on the lam

candlesigh ~

11 Friday May 2012

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days til then
and thought we’d made it
when fate caught us asleep
pitching tents
and chasing wings (of flame)
never thought to think
I’d trade forever –
just to hold your hand
in the light before the nightbird gave
a story worth the telling
babies came –
and winter wore our names

while there the golden
wheat we gathered
burned the forest down
I wonder –
now I wander back
and there’s nothing here
but home

mason jars
and homemade whiskey
pewter dim and silver barns
rust beneath the want for something
straw the pale of evening sun
Kentucky blue
begun – to close my eyes
succumb to wishes
give them all another chance (to fly)
let me love
in fields of clover –
let me die in fields of flight

give to verse
this dreamer (dreaming)
poem writ of moving on
seas returned – the lowly sailor –
backward here into the dawn

was set adrift
on oars of maple
pinned aloft the noble bride
set a course for warmer waters
but kept a place (for me) aside
written here – a tattooed letter
button birds and woodsong shame
lacey lace
in cardboard boxes
sheets to never fit the same

proof of heaven
a moment glistens –
forever waits the night (I hold)
touch the locket
and claim the promise –
cools the skin
that hides the soul

star gazing ~

11 Friday May 2012

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often at night
I stand in the drive
and look at the world anew –
watch as the life
of a star
flickers out
reflecting on moments
with you

the sound of your voice
alive on the wire
the joy that rests in your smile
echoes of moments
shared with a friend –
allow me to breathe
for a while

returning myself
to the places I keep
light from the night burns within
touches my life
with cool winter truth –
waiting to know you
again

of butterflies ~

10 Thursday May 2012

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beyond this breath
before our death –
returns a brighter dawn
lives can change
the universe responds
caught in recollection
a reflection weaved of faith
fleeting as a sigh
beneath the wake –
ethers churn
as mountains move
much closer to the storm
spirits caught in shadow
shift the light
planets move
and souls confess
to other lives remembered
time is lost –
we dream
of butterflies

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

Author’s Note ~ There is a Native American legend that says, If you have a secret wish, capture a butterfly and whisper your wish to it.  Since butterflies cannot speak, your secret is ever safe in their keeping. Release the butterfly, and it will carry your wish to the Great Spirit, who alone knows the thoughts of butterflies. By setting the butterfly free, you are helping to restore the balance of nature, and your wish will surely be granted.

The universe responds.

gonna ~

10 Thursday May 2012

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gonna leave this place
in pieces –
like some other dream
(I dreamed)
gonna turn around –
tho who will notice me
gonna shake it off
(and not look back)
on where I was that day
gonna drive all night
to nowhere (I can say) –
til the road turns dirt
and empties (every care) onto the breeze
gonna change my name
and pen another verse
gonna leave a sign –
that only you
can see

swords to the sky ~

10 Thursday May 2012

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held I once
this earth to my longing
this child of tomorrow
with knowledge I fed
knowing not of how soon
another would come
to wait at the hand
that was God’s

but only for this
my place in the plan
my sight –
(tho once blinded) to see
the worth in unworthy
silver to shining
the way to becoming –
at last to make sense

fingers and ferns
limbs to the forest
arising as swords to the sky –
ten thousand hearts
remember one beating
forever returning
to remind us of her

blankets of wonder
are stilled
by the midnight
hands search in darkness
the secrets of light –
someone is waiting
in gardens of turmoil
dares not to sleep
lest a prayer go unheard

compassion gives birth
at the feet of forgiveness
while goldenrods wave
in parade of the saints

ungraceful me ~

09 Wednesday May 2012

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turned as I was leaving
caught a glimpse of something there
the girl I was –
for a moment so familiar
an auburn tress –
chestnut eyes
a smile
that said ‘I know’  –
met myself as I was walking out
and warned me not to go

take of this
take it all –
the golden with the brass –
such perfect imperfection
I’ve become –
bury me where ivy climbs
to drink the summer rains –
where blackbirds swirl as circles –
drunken flame

take me down
another path
I never walked before –
and let me plait
of orchids – in my hair
would that the earth remember
where I left my yesterdays
folded soft beneath
the jealous pine –
where once I lay
where once I dreamed
of love (the sweetest kind)

was given this
a piece – some other
longing broke apart –
and I was left
holding to my heart –
but still it was to beating
forgotten what had been –
another still to know
my lowly drum

let not the dance be waiting –
for shoes I cannot wear
I’ll come alone
barefoot to the lawn
raise to veil –
ungraceful form of waltz
against the dawn –

dance with me
the band has come
to play

innocence for trading ~

09 Wednesday May 2012

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before the proof
was come to be
our faith was in forever
gave our glory to the heavens
our longing to the lake
spoke in tongues
yet never knew
the language that would save us
whispered from the depths within
as love we pushed away

quiet as a choir rests –
innocence for trading
the river for a seat beside the shore
lovers moved in perfect time
but swore the night was different
forgotten now (a time for sleep)
the dreamers couldn’t rest

prophets came
and placed the blame
on politics and passion
believers lined the eager banks
and fought the urge to curse –
thought became so tangled
we scarce could find the meaning
carved into the cedars
every evidence of word

as birch to dry
and songs where men
had never learned to listen –
sparrows stood atop the violin
and gave to these
(the worst of those)
lessons in surrender
gypsies rode an ancient flame
to resurrect the sun

beetles marched
beneath the blade
with katydid and weevil
bespoke of war
(and rumors of)
dignity and truth –
soldiers slain with harsh disdain
of what (it doesn’t matter)
reminders of forgiveness
fell in colors –
warm and green

then burned to ash
the testament –
was never ours to utter
oceans rose as rivers raced
backward to begin –
sworn to grace
each warm embrace –
would lend us back
to love

mandarin ~

08 Tuesday May 2012

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tears of the mandarin
duck softly swelling –
orange to preen
winter to song
long there is more to believe
I have traded –
the wave that would wash me
to places unknown
and soothe me with stories
of intimate places
china grey mountains
and cold crystal streams
rolled into somewhere
I might have been dancing
before I was born
to the warmth of your skies
blue every memory
of soaring and sailing
far past the pull of Jupiter
Mars –
a shadow to places
unclaimed by illusion –
eternity floating
on ripples of green