Holy Holly Days

The mice curl up in beds of fluff

The children dream of Santa’s stuff

The bells of midnight ring the sound

Of peace and joy the world around.

The hearts of needy fill with hope

And gifts of tools to help them cope

The lonely find themselves a friend

To brighten up the old year’s end.

The wealthy find a way to give

That blesses others who gracefully live

And Angels warm the hearts of all

Saving each and everyone they call.

Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Yule,

By any other name we choose,

These holidays an unfathomable gift

Our lives, our loves, our spirits lift,

Creating the hope of a brand new year,

With love, harmony and good cheer!

Let Me

Let me see you sleeping

When you know perfect comfort, perfect safety,

May my arms bring this to you

From the wings of my soul, I bring it.

Let me see you smiling

For the charity I give you, humble charity,

May my words of candor bless you

From the fire in my soul I offer it.

Let me not see you crying

Because of the life we have together

That you’ll never be alone again

As I walk beside you, holding your hand.

Let me see you laughing

Because each hour of loving you is joy.

May it be my lifelong obligation

From the depths of my desire, it is my gift.

Let me see you filled with Love

When I give my body, mind and soul to you

May my heartfelt respect and honor fill you

From the ember that cherishes you in my heart.

Triumphant

Hot, spin, stomp, kick, clap

Cha-cha-cha, pirouette, lift, run

Flow in motion as if riding on the breeze

Flutter, wrap, intertwine, do the wave,

Breathe the dance, shimmy-inny,

Jump across the stairs onto my shoulders

Fly as you twirl as you ride down my back

Into legs, over, under, up again

Skirt rustles as if floating up to heaven

Beads in the hair jangle, jangle

As your head turns in drama

Knees high, bent, push you, pull me

Higher, higher, sudden drop to the floor

Now exhausted, lying, hand reaches ‘neath

Your neck, you inhale, I kneel triumphant.

Horizons

I venture down into the depths of my mind

Where my innermost sanctuary resides

And I flow through the eye of the eye

In a vast array of stars and galaxies

Then I shoot through a tunnel, first

Purple, then red, and finally white

Where the fire is pure and the words

Hold sway over the path of life itself

And I imagine the greater good as it bears

Forth from its inception, to infancy, ready

To serve the world with the wonder of a child

This I have seen for the betterment

Of all our horizons evermore.

More Forms of Life

Tops cut like a heart shape to let power lines through

The tree looks like a parody of Valentine’s Day

And with its leaves all pinkish-orange, they drop

As if in protest of the defacement, the shame

The injury of its pride in being a grand, aged oak.

But this, our city, our world, with no forewarning

That inch-by-inch it carries off nature’s beauty

Disregarding the voices of those who honor our world

And though a few more make noise and shout

We are like the Whos in Whoville, being so ignored

So that technology reigns, so that cookie-cutter suburbs

With their muted colors and life can be the norm.

But you decide which has the greater merit

For maintaining a quality of life, remembering

That there are more forms of life on the planet

Than just inhumanity.

Breathe

Riding in the back seat on a bumpy gravel road

The windows open letting in a stiff breeze

But the dust comes, too, making our eyes gritty

And our noses itchy so we sneeze

And this is how it goes, our teeth chattering

Because the shocks on this old car are bad.

So we hold hands and close our eyes and

Wrinkle our noses hoping to find the highway

Where the road is smooth and the air is clear

But the highway never comes

Because this is the new millennium

And there isn’t enough money

To clear the air, and the water and the ground

And we can’t just close our eyes anymore

And we can’t hold our breath long enough

To make an honest difference

So our grandchildren will be able to breathe.

Our Spirits Are Strong

The bells of the hour chime of Autumn
When temperatures cool and we breathe easy
And trees put on pretty party dresses
Before they give up for the cold of winter.
We can sit beside the bonfire sipping hot tea
And reminiscing about a time when life was easy
Or so it seemed that we had all the answers
That seem to evade us so desperately now.
So we watch the fireflies in the distance
And sit a little more quietly for a while
Wondering, perhaps, if everyone has these doubts
And coming to the conclusion, at long last, they do.
But we know for sure the sun will shine tomorrow
And we crawl out of bed to meet it, if tentatively,
For though our flesh is just that, our spirits are strong.

The Snap

Inglorious moments fly by making demands

And the high imperial court sends scavengers

To bark orders and lash the backs of everyone

Who wishes to see better things, a better life.

But is it Pollyanna to want harmony and health?

Let all people live as they wish while not hurting others?

Is it naive to want the air and water to be pristine?

So we take a step toward utter desolation

Toward destruction, toward desecration each day

And our beloved Mother Earth roils and rumbles

Shaking herself apart as each new species dies

Leaving us less than we, her children, have ever been.

She protests in a lava-strewn revolution

Because at some point she will snap.

Vignette #1

In the court of Charlemagne, French was spoken

With such dignity and robustness

That everyone who enjoyed a promenade

Around the room where court was held

Created such an air of class and poise

That never would have sufficed on the streets of Paree.

Yet the fine lace and wide skirts,

The wigs stacked high upon their heads

Made them prime targets for the streetwise

Who knew how to play on their finer senses

And beg for a bit of gold, just a small coin,

Given if only to cast the ragged-clothed wretch

Out of the way of the carriage.

Seeds

From the seed comes the bead of Light

That through the tunnel shines

Just enough to create hope for those

Who cheer and laugh and applaud

Because they wish to think and now know

That all eventualities are possible

Leaving each opportunity open, growing, glowing

With swift desire to make each day

Better, brighter, Lighter than the last.

And who’s to say they’re wrong?

But the one who stands between Light and Dark

And does he even matter in the scheme of things?

It’s the idea of Light that matters most

As it filters down from Highest High

And provides the answers and the guidance

To each one of us, helping our seeds to grow.

For All Time

In this very moment while the colors swirl

So that there is no recognition of reality

Let it not go without saying that we care

And understand the highest values of our Lord

For such tribulation amongst all the peoples

Rises so high with the tangling of the planets

And our hearts beg for just a little relief

From the horror that evaporates yet leaves behind

All manner of dark marks to leave creation in woe.

Let us breathe easier for having faith

And do not deny the faithful their nightly rest.

In each corner of the world may there be trust

Amongst our fellows so that compassion and love

Are no longer blurred but speak with a serene voice

Casting hatred and bigotry aside for all time.

Nature Walk

Tall grasses make a lake in the wind

Fluttering across their thick blades

As if a large fish were passing through

On its way to find a school of little fishes

For dinner or just to play its power upon them.

As the wave meets the forest it all fades

And each step forward crackles on fallen branches

Amongst the grand oaks that line the path

The freshness of the air energizes, soothes,

And my eyes grow wider taking in all the green

Beautiful life at its most raw—a deer, a raccoon, a hawk.

The sunlight sends spokes of enlightenment

Such that its strength and sovereignty is undeniable.

I pause upon a mossy space to run my fingers

Over the velvety carpet, home to faerie folk

And then responsibility calls and I must come back home.

Beach Time

The tiniest of waves on the surface of the lake

Make a starlight pattern as far as the eye can see

Bright to look at, cheery, too, and inviting

As the wind surfers gather, shooting across the water,

Their sails of yellow, orange, blue and fluorescent green,

Zipping one way and then another, crossing the horizon,

Up the long pier and beyond the lighthouse

Straining their muscles to hold on tight to their flight

A quick breather as they glide onto the mound of sand

Bearing ripples of its own as the wind dictates

Each grain of sand to its rightful place in the scene

Beneath the deep blue sky and cotton clouds on high.

Beloved

Your eyes sparkle in the moonlight
Your lips taste like sweet wine
Poured from a silver goblet
Your hair smells of the purest lavender
And your soft hands caress my cheek, my shoulder,
But this kind of love is a dream
Drizzled before the hearts of romantics
I was once such a romantic who believed
That love should perch daintily on its pedestal
Watching over smitten hearts to protect them
From the arbitrary effects of an ill-cast moon.
But, I, Beloved, have been made cynical
Over years of being told, “It couldn’t work.”
Though the journey pointed to growing love
That had no destination, that only crumbled
Like a house made of sand when prevailing winds
Blew it all away, and then, Beloved, I knew,
There would never be another.

Perfection

Little bugs, beetles, and ants galore,
Crickets far away, fiddling in unison,
The muffled whoosh of a car ten miles away,
And the soft glow of the yard lights
Illuminating the way through the trees.
Dark, yes, quiet, yes, familiar, yes, it’s so.
But where is the comfort that spells home?
Where is the relief from the bonds of city life?
Where is rest from tension and frustration?
Perhaps I have broken the bonds that keep me
Ever-tethered to this place, these memories
That haunt my slumber still with evil things
That happened, breaking the idyllic placidity
Of what could have once been perfection.

From Above

My gram’s been gone thirteen years.
The loss, the hurt, still burns my soul.
I don’t think I can remember
How her laugh revealed her gentle soul.
But she could be harsh sometimes.
I’d wonder if she truly loved me.
There was never a doubt when I was sick
She nursed me at my bedside
Until I was totally well again.
I miss my gram, my friend, my protector,
Yet it was just her time to go.
I see her in my visions living
More life, having more fun than when
She was alive.
She laughs now in a crowd of people;
She strolls through wildflower fields
Holding hands with Grandpa as they watch
The children running after butterflies.
That place is heaven—one mansion just for them.
Grandma wears a white dress and broad-brimmed bonnet.
Grandpa wears a shirt and tie and pants.
They’re happier now than they’ve ever been
And shower us with their love from above.

Be Glad

Silly games keep the day going smoothly
As the mind turns to mush and nothing can enter
Only the practice, practice, practice of words
Beyond words whose little picture seems to evade
The tiniest notion of description and thereby, understanding,
Yet tap, tap, tap, we do, we will to make an impression
Far beyond reason and with no more intention
Than one who snores in his sleep.
Yet the caper goes on, in and out like threads
Making a superior tapestry right now.
One that may become threadbare with age
With enough Light shone on it all
And greater genius at his disposal
But if it is enough to turn the tide toward security and hope,
For this I shall be glad.

Summer Celebration

Hot, humid holiday in July
Bit of a breeze blowing the treetops
Inviting blue sky brings smiles
As the water ripples and twinkles
As far as the eye can see.
Some opt for parades and festivals
Others for craft fairs and fireworks
Crowds upon crowds busily here and there
Murmuring amongst themselves how lovely
It all is, as music plays among the din
Music of ages past, modern music,
Small names, big names, foreign names
And all to create the perfect Celebration!

Could Be

As if you didn’t know
That two and two are four
In the mystery of the wind
You betrayed me like a friend
Did you think I wouldn’t see
That you made a fool of me
And destroyed my life, my soul
In the instant you declared
That we were once enemies
I don’t believe that it could be
We were mirrors of the whole
Like two sides of the same whole
What did you expect of me
Were you cold as you could be
And why did you do this to me
You were cold as you could be.

Our Way

Roses, though we don’t think of them that way,
Spiral up the walls of the castle made by love,
And growing amongst the brick and mortar
Like a reminder that love i a part of our nature
Serenely sitting within us as the sun rises,
Finding its full expression in the light of day,
Becoming our full secret in the dark of night,
And leaving a spectacular legacy as the sun sets.
Immense, fragrant flowers of crimson red
Herald the greater message as our blood boils
Filled with passion for that which we long.
Our desire comes in snippets of petals
As they drift on the breeze, slowly, one at a time,
Their scent wafting before us, leading us,
Helping us to find our way.

Until Eternity

Listless, hoping you reach out
A thought that touches the abyss
And grants true freedom from worry
Because its existence is no more
As we look over the shoulder
Where the dignity that once trudged through the mud
Now knows an elegant grace, forgiveness,
So the gate that grew stiff with rust
Now is healed as it is revealed in Truth
Opened wide to allow the Light a chance
Half-passed, half-renewed and cleansed
Giving the brilliant arch of creation
The new opportunity to grow, grow, grow,
And send delightful beams between us
From now until eternity.

Le Danse

Ting-a-ling sounds the tambourine
As the ecstasy rises and the heart
Resides in the throat
The head spins at a different speed
Than the figures with skirt and ribbons a-twirl
And drum beats tap out, louder, then softer,
Faster, then more slowly yet.
Everyone feels the festive dance
The footfalls going rat-a-tat
A leap into the air brings applause
From the colorful crowd of pied patrons
And at once all is silent.
As the dancers stop, frozen, it ends.

Sparling Blue

Like a blue sky that won’t clear
Of gray clouds hanging
Overhead above the treetops
So you paint a picture with paint and brush
Hoping that if, in your mind, all is well,
That it will be and simply is,
And you walk one step at a time
Watching the flowers bloom,
Smelling their scent on the wind
Until you decide maybe you are special
Or maybe you aren’t
But it doesn’t matter because you are Love
And Love flows in you and through you
Into the world, the Universe,
Making your sky sparkling blue.

Sunlight of Spring

Barely breathing, life renews
When the melting snow drips on the nose
Slowly, slowly, then a little faster,
Until finally the eyes open and a yawn
Wider than you can imagine draws breath
That had all but stopped in hibernation
And the life’s blood begins to stir in the veins
Creating warmth where before was cold
Then scratching, scratching away the straw
Or dirt, or branches and leaves, whatever debris
May have blocked the opening to the cavern
The first rays of the sunlight of Spring
Filter into the eyes not quite yet open
And awaken the mind and awareness
So that everything, all at once,
Encourages the swift thrust into the Light.

And once the great bounding out of darkness comes
The appetite quickens so that everything tastes
Like new, like nothing known or understood before
New words come, new thoughts come, new associations
So there is no doubt that life is wonderful
So much so that even the colors of the rainbow
Are all the more grand, all the more enticing
And the thirst for greater knowledge, greater connection
Is so strong that the drive becomes the world
And rapidly it comes until the first failure
But with encouragement, with greater trust,
All can be accomplished, all can be comprehended
The need for patience is great, the need for self- reflection
The need for mirroring the understanding of others
All comes ‘round and flows like a waterwheel
Making certain life and Light continue forever.

Our Greatest Gift

Sunshine sheds light on my darkened aspirations
My life is aglow with the possibilities
Everyone takes on new life, new purpose,
The days open wide with enchantment
And yet there is a corner of memory
That brings sadness and a little foreboding
Something where a deep breath makes all the difference
And a game of bowling, a walk in the garden
Pictures of the unseen world that become seen
All these lend notice that life, though fragile,
Remains sacred, remains the closeness of hope
Because we are all related, all One,
And when our eyes can see it, perhaps,
We will understand this, our greatest gift.

Diamonds

The bells of harlequin embrace
Stir deeply within the soul
And like the fond memories of childhood
Happenstance imposes strict rules
That thwart us from our silly dreams
For once in a child’s mind
All things are possible, each foe vanquishable
Each mountain a heroic challenge
Of mind over matter, handily laid at bay.
But as we grow old, our bodies aching,
We realize our victories become a little smaller
And a day of smiles beckons the heart
As we watch children play
As we squeeze a loved one’s hand,
As we greet the morning sun and blue sky.
Smaller gifts, yes, but worth more than diamonds.

Olympians 2010

Cheer the national heroes
With their hands raised in triumph
They have reached the stars above
And now they dance, and dance again,
Whether gold or silver, bronze or applause
Their reward is to stand on the admiration
Of a nation—yours, mine, theirs—with pride
For a moment to hold our attention
For a breath to be the best of the best
For a time to have their names written
On the walls of eternity while the world
Forgets there is hatred and war
Hunger and heartache take a brief vacation
And the whole world cheers and revels
In the camaraderie and peace.

Desert

Blistered, bedraggled, forlorn,
The spirit of exhaustion
Like walking through the desert
And not seeing a single buzzard
Not even a coyote for company
Lifting one foot from the sand
And then the other as if cement
Heat, thirst, locusts, sandstorms
When does the quiet come?
When will the cool oasis appear
That we might bathe and drink?

Valentine

It’s not a Valentine that says, “You’re mine,”
Nor a promise of everlasting love and joy
It’s just a hand to hold, a touch upon the cheek
To keep you warm and let you know you’re not alone
But you might think it’s not a lot
No sentimental reason for a celebration
But my heart is always open, my gift to you
A cherished friendship like strawberries in chocolate
That might make the night less lonely
A mother-love, a sister-hug, a friendship-smile,
To walk beside you star-kissed nights
And travel through your dreams on tiptoes
Sharing, caring, listening, laughing, love.

Sleep

The dark of night has swallowed me
In favor, dreams beyond compare portrayed
By shadows of the night, the night,
Wherein melancholy fades and pyromancy
Becomes the essence of my soul and heart
When I see the face of God in the night
Beckoning me forward, over logs, hurdles high
And in my dreams I flow upward on the flames
Of heaven-essence to ring true such strength
To bring brightness to bear on the wings of night
And I am filled with the blessings of creation
More than my imagination serves to tell
In a smile, a laugh, a hug of happiness
All borne on thought and passion and sleep.

Serenity

The elevated world spins round
More in the recesses of light, so light
We marvel in the excesses
Though we cannot feel the wind
As it bludgeons the true and painful past
The memories of where the world has been
And brings comfort to the place that comes
Full of amazing love and pristine pictures
And all that passes before is free, so free
Begotten in the hearts of the elegant
And lifted on golden wings of serenity.

Commitment

Having the right words to say
When you meet that special someone
Listening with all your heart
To the beating of the other’s
Taking each other’s hand tightly
Letting her know you will never let go
A smile of reassurance when anxiety strikes
And promising to always be there
To dry tears when they fall
To create warmth when you get cold
To pick up the slack when you’re tired
Commitment, honor, pride, cherishing
The moments that you have together
Now and always, and beyond.
This is how to make it last.

Leaves of Ash

Leaves of Ash groves clustered
Like some bushels of fallen fruit
An amalgam of autumn stirrings and sparks
As the birds of the season cackle with reason
Echoes of the past when the Druids spoke
Walking through the forest in rhyme in Time
Amazing clichés forgiven and driven
To know the languages of each creature
Each vine blessing the culinary wine
And making a sacrifice of the moment
Music to the ears of those who can hear
Blessings, undressings, the vessels quite queer
How they jangled and tangled and disappeared so
And at last all that remained were the leaves.

My Soul

Earthy—like gemstones on fire
Bringing the depth of creation
Into the Light of the Central Sun
Hallowed halls of imagination
Swirl and twirl and explode
With vision and prophetic tendencies
So that children no longer suffer
So that disasters have less impact
So that love and light flow freely
Into the hearts of everyone who knows
That they belong in this life
And in the fortune of great joy
We swell with the scent of lilies
So that only our wish for happiness
For everyone is fulfilled.

For Susan: Your Dream

Graceful lady, grateful heart,
Who rose on the wings of a swan
From a place where dreams held in mind
For so many years, enduring menial tasks
And living in honor and respect and humility
You are a hero to the fallen ones
Whose dreams crumbled from neglect
Grand phoenix whose tail feathers you held
Standing before the world to claim
Your rightful place among the divas
Who believed from the start
They had the divine right to be
You are hope and love and patience
And I wish you the greatest blessings
That all you have held in mind
You will hold in your hands
May you take your life to the stars!

Blissful

Each moment grows sweeter
Than the one before
Because soothing notes release
Each fragment of uncertainty
And the muscles relax
And the mind lets go
The imagery of total bliss
Fills my spirit and wider grows
The chasm between irrationality and me
For I am at ease with myself
Relieved of doubt and worry
Now to be blissful and free!

Bedazzled

Bedazzled, bedraggled, torn in two
We smile for the camera and cry out loud
The inner image of long lost friendships
And carrion that they become over years
Of hardship and struggle and swimming
Against the current of the manly world
The winners and losers all tumble out
And in the dim, dark shadowy world
Of ocean depths within the soul
No one knows what spoils and tortures
The hearts and minds of those
Who can no longer keep trying
And so we cheer all the more
When one of our own hits the jackpot
Of outrageous fortune with all its bells
And whistles and confetti and glitter
And we fly, fly, fly once again.

Hope and Peace at Last

Star mist drifts into the soul
And waxes full the ocean song
That in the deep the whales repeat
And echo back the little-known
Code of miracles of Time
Where the new and renewed breath of earth
Begins its cycle
Purging
That which strangles life
Through violent upheavals here and thre
And when the rains of Spring wash soft
To cleans the wounds from teh planet's core
It heals the heart of all which remains
And blesses life to try again
And so our harmony shines much brighter
Our Spirit glows so much lighter
And those who watch
Across light years' path
Believe there is hope and peace at last.
--From Sacred Song, 2002

Like Riding a Bike

In the land of Lemuria, also called “Mu,”
Peace was pronounced in each, “How do you do?”
The wise women counseled each girl and boy
While the wayfarers taught using sophisticated toys.
The planet, ‘twas Earth, only millennia ago
And the wondrous advances of knowledge, you know,
The like of which we’ve not seen yet today
For although their civilization passed away
Perhaps it still hides ‘neath the rocks and the waves
They did it all with their minds and never owned slaves
There were pleasures and games we can’t imagine
And from this we’ve extrapolated original sin
Yet here we are thousands of years past
Wishing we could be like them at last
But Lemurians, peaceful, humble and wise
Suggest that our britches are not the right size.
We think greater means more money, higher skill
When indeed it involves the power of will
To let go of anger, revenge and the like
And once to have done so it’s like riding a bike.

Sagittarius Moon

Blazing light framed by a circle
Woman in white aiming an arrow
The higher her sights, her finer insights
Reveal the temptation of humanity’s grace.
O, angel of destiny, that we can grow strong
Help us to love deeply, to right every wrong
Show us the way with your brilliant light
And carve out a future in infinite space
That brings hope and justice and balance to all
Lift us with your arrow, prevent humanity’s fall
As we all rise, lead the way, brighter days
Will come as we learn to trust, know our place,
Let us shout with rejoicing, leave our troubles behind,
The future is only a blink, let it come!