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.