Susan

My Guitar

my blood stains in the opening 

for sound

the body is warm and soft

the soothing smell of seasoned wood

My old friend 

She been with me for many years

I once had another

This one is my second

but first loves are often naive

This one has stood the test of time

enduring many hours of 

picking and strumming and tapping

even though

she is cracked ever so slightly

a crack that worried me 

at first

but has caused no harm

Many years of love

happiness and joy

holding her against me

comforting me 

when I want to cry 

but can't find the tears

bringing me joy 

when I'm too shy 

to express it

a song gives me courage

Most Importantly

strange moments

I can't define

the music embraces the mystery

Susan

my love

my friend

we go along

another adventure

into the unknown

Peace

Peace

a leaf blowing in the wind

A flower

Growing just a little

Just tiny bit for today

The nutrients feeding its

stem

A bird chirping

His mother chirping response

A cloud moving slowly

The sun is rising

A tear in my eye

Peace

Inspired by NaPoWriMo writing prompt #4

write a poem that is about something abstract – perhaps an ideal like “beauty” or “justice,” but which discusses or describes that abstraction in the form of relentlessly concrete nouns.

Song of the Valley

He Soul shines with Love

Love has many forms

Tears, Scars, Joy and Creation

Just to name a few

Thoughts often block

True Love

Jumping into the

crashing waves

My thoughts

are cleansed

Love whispers

It does not shout

Allowing space

for me to scream

and love responds 

softly

All is well

Be at peace my Dear

Covering my wounds

I am delirious

from changing winds

My reflection ripples

as the illusion breaks

But I have been here before

and will return again

The unspoken truth within

My fickle heart forgetting so easily

Seeking easy answers

simple solutions

But looking at flowers

on TV

is not the same

As growing them yourself

Releasing control

of time, change and the future

whispering back to my forgotten Love

Ancient source of all

Beneath the gravel

Lies the deep 

My tears seep through the dirt

Connecting with the wisdom

Beneath

Beneath the winds, the snow, the rain

the hurricanes, the storms, and the floods

Shining like diamonds in all I see

The pillars of virtue rising above the 

rats and mice

Echoing in the valley

you can hear her 

soft melody

of dreams and peace

Inspired by NaPoWriMo Poetry Prompt #18

Find a poem in a book or magazine (ideally one you are not familiar with). Use a piece of paper to cover over everything but the last line. Now write a line of your own that completes the thought of that single line you can see, or otherwise responds to it. Now move your piece of paper up to uncover the second-to-last line of your source poem, and write the second line of your new poem to complete/respond to this second-to-last line. Keep going, uncovering and writing, until you get to the first line of your source poem, which you will complete/respond to as the last line of your new poem. 

I used "Tissiacks Tear" by John Muir

https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/tissiacks_tears_904017

Union

I walk along a path

tall grass and tress

forming a narrow path

Standing above me

Like a crowd of friends

all hear to welcome and me

smile upon me 

as I move 

down the procession

I meet the great lake

at the end

greeting me with warmth and deep blue eyes

a glowing heart

and a friendly smile

seeing my heart glow

and connect with hers

in

this moment

The Hanged Man

To the Hanged Man

Everything looked upside down

People fighting over who was first and who was right

people attacking their brothers

people striving their whole lives to to survive

only to die at the end

People forgetting the moment to have a better one later

people driving large automobiles only to arrive

at a dusty office

People ignoring their children to give them a be"Better life"

people wanting to be happy by adding stress to their lives

adding more to their to-do list 

if they just get a another shot of busyness

then they will feel like they can rest

the world seemed upside down

The Hanged Man said

From his tree

He looked foolish

people laughed as they passed

he wasn't doing anything

He wasn't changing anything

He wasn't learning anything

He was using his time

but to the Hanged Man

he was the richest man of all

for he had time

He had time to watch

to enjoy

to observe

to be

time to be

the greatest gift of all 

to simply be

and this is why 

he was smiling

Sailing Across the Ocean

To my far away family,

my mom, my sisters, my brother, 

my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, 

my grandmother, My In-laws

Often thinking of you

Hoping you are well

Many waves of the ocean are rocking my boat

at the moment

I'm sailing across the Atlantic

in a row boat

The ocean threatens to swallow me

without judgment

or scorn

but only because 

that is was the ocean does

I see the waves come over may head

they crash down on me and 

drench me their raw energy and power

the force pulls me and pushes on me

I release and let go

having no control over the outcome

knowing that I am just a particle of dust in this universe

but I feel blessed to have been hit by the wave

Blessed to have been obliterated

by the majestic sea

Somehow I always bob to surface in my

little row boat

I start again on my journey

sailing across the ocean

FATHER

F - Forging you for your humanity
A - Always with me in my heart
T - Time heals all wounds
H - Heaven, where your pain is no more
E - Every moment you were alive was a gift, even the painful ones
R - Remembering how much you loved all of us and how much I love you

Breathing in This Moment

Walking along the beach

on the boardwalk

seeing many different faces and people

children running through the water

splashing with glee

bounding a ball off the waves

a group of young girls 

gathered in a small tribe

smiling and giggling to each other

secrets, desires and dreams

Young boys, skateboarding down the concrete walk

standing tall and proud

no worries or fears 

only the thrill of rolling along 

and the wind in his hair

A young father chasing his child

the concern in his face

whether he is doing a good job

or he can keep his child safe

An old woman sitting on the bench 

watching the sunset

with slight feeling of sorrow

knowing that she used to watch the sunset 

with her partner that has passed on

The sun slowly setting

taking its time

not rushing or hurrying

moving at the pace of nature

A slow steady movement and flow

the sun following the rhythm and dance 

of the earth

a slow dance 

They both know the steps

Step to the East

Step to the West

Slowing Rising

Slowing falling

The beauty and grace 

of this majestic dance

swaying back and forth

I notice my self rushing from one thing to the next 

hurrying as fast as I can

I pause for a moment

and suddenly feel a gratitude

that life doesn't move too fast

that everything will come in time

Grateful that we don'e go 

directly from being the child 

to the old woman overnight

that time moves slowly

I let out a deep sigh and breath in the this moment

as the sun settles in 

for a good night's sleep

Passing Storms

Passing storms

fears, doubts and ego

gremlins climbing out of the gutter

crawling up beside me 

to whisper dark things in my ears

all of the hatred within their heart

all of the tainted emotions

sadness turned to envy

fear turned to anger

happiness turned to lust

love turned to possession

the goodness within them

serving only one master 

the ever empty void of feeling 

like they will never be truly loved

they will never feel complete

they will never feel like the can settle into the warm embrace

of another

they will never see themselves as God sees them

they will never feel the wholeness that already exists

The slither around me

tempting me with possible ways out of the whole

manipulate, control, convince,

you will achieve your desire goal

if you sell your soul

to the gremlins

If you sacrifice 

this moment for the next

you will achieve what you desire

if you drink their venom

if let this fear drive you

you will one day be happy

one day 

one day

there slither around my neck, 

the green slime of envy

dripping from my from my shoulders

the anger drilling a whole in my heart

the possession, which really possesses me

and controls my every thought

I close my eyes and wonder

when this storm will pass

I bend with the currents

of the universe

I align with my heart

The clean water of self-love, self-care, and appreciation

the miracle of life calls forth a great river

It washes over me

brings tears to my eyes

and washes away

the distorted perceptions

I see myself as Whole

I see myself as Love

I see myself as One

Singing Across the Universe

Breathing in the night air

the stars are signing to me

soft sweet melodies

of forever and nothing

Emptiness and Darkness

filling the spaces between

creating the canvas for light to shine

The stars are signing in the darkness

from far away places 

many have long since burned out

but their song is still echoing through the universe

Feeling the melody wash over me

the cool night brushes away my concerns

one day they will hear me 

returning the favor

signing them softly to sleep

Earth and Water

Water falling from one stone 

to the next

one step after

the other

falling

flowing

turning

curving

bubbling

allowing the earth to pull it closer

The earth feels the water

move gently across its curves

caressing and comforting

massaging and soothing the rough edges

The earth is warmed and cooled at the same time

by the ever flowing ocean

they swirl together 

as One

the moon pushes and pulls them 

this way and that

but their bond never broken

holding each other tight

for the rest of time

Mantra 1

Tao

Please Guide me

Mother of All things

Please Guide me

Holy Spirit

Please Guide me

Please Align

My Body, Mind, Heart and Soul

with Your Creativity

Mantra 2

Tao

I trust in your Love and Guidance

Mother of All Things

 I trust in your Love and Guidance

Holy Spirit

I trust in your Love and Guidance

This moment is

Precious and Beautiful

I have no need to worry

of be afraid

Everything I need will be Provided

Wild Flowers

Wild flowers
all different shades and colors
light orange
red and blue
some with four pedals, some with two
Some wilting
Some are new
Some bending and bowing
others reach for the sky
many different shades and colors
but their essence is the same
the beauty of life is blooming

This same beauty is within us all

Everyone you meet is God speaking
look closely and you will see
underneath the ragged clothes
and the dirty shoes

God is softly smiling

If you look closely at your reflection
you will see him there too
treat him kindly
he means you no harm

Only fear divides you
release and move on

Love is your beauty
Love is your nature
Love is your smile
Love is your grace

As you look at your reflection
Smile and know you are loved
listen to your heart and it will speak
gently forgiving and releasing your pain

Sleep softly my child
and sweet dreams

I am the Lake

I am the lake
wise and settled
water holding itself together
connecting with the earth

Wisdom doens't come from time
It comes from not being attached to time
The lake knows nothing and
it cares for nothing
but it is fully integrated
with the seat that it sits in

This wisdom
withstands the many
great ideas of cleaver people

The water always runs underneath

No matter how high they build their walls
no matter the endless parking lots

The water always runs underneath

it finds the route
that is below
thsese fancy things
below these great aspirations

and simply is
Simply flows
and knows nothing

the is the true essence of God
This is the true essence of life
and the universe
right before our eyes

The unassuming flow
of water beneath us
Yet, we look at the
the worlds largest cheese sandwich with admiration
and still wonder why it feels so hollow
it still doesn't seem to fill our stomachs
or fill our hearts
It just puts some colorful facade
on the emptyness
that we don't want to accept

That we are empty vessels
and we will be changed
and formed into insects in the near future
and reformed again and again

But beneath all of this
Thousands of years from now
The water will still be running
Underneath

Waiting for Christmas

Waiting for something to happen
waiting for my life to feel complete
waiting for a sign
that all is well

But the only sign is change
Beginnings, endings
beginnings, and ending again

This step leads to the next
This breadth leads to the next
This day leads to the next one

Waiting for Christmas
When I would run down the stairs and presents
would be wrapped in fancy paper

Waiting for the joy
that I felt
the anticipation
The pureness of smiles
the days spent in slippers
and hot chocolate
sitting side by side with my brother

Playing games for the fun of it
Playing games because games were worth playing

loving every moment

Loving my Mom
who put so much effort and energy and life
in to making our lives happy

Love for my father
who sacrificed and lost his joy along the way
but loved us deeply none the less

gratitude for life
running in the snow
to build snow men
and slide down a hill
that was only five feet tall
but we didn't care
Any hill was worth sledding
because life was about sledding

Life was about playing
Life was about the wonder and joy of games
and creativity
rebelling
sneaking out at night
creating fireworks in the parking lot
the mushroom cloud
that rose above into the night sky
fireworks that worked a little too well
as we ran with excitement in the night
knowing that we had broken the rules with gleeful
abandon

When was the last time I lived with abandon
When was the last time
my day wasn't a clearly scheduled, purposeful, practical
exercise in being responsible

What joy it would be to wake up on Christmas again
see the wrapping paper, tear it apart and play

Seeds, Soil, Water and Time

Seed
unassuming seed
a shell
and a dream

Soil
unassuming soil
particles of decayed animals
feces and dirt
worms and insects

Water
unassuming water
Hydrogen and oxygen forming
a shapeless and colorless
lifeless compound

Time
unassuming time
the current of life
bringing change, destruction
and space for new creation

Spring
the rain falls
connecting the water, the seed and the soil
Time blesses their marriage
and new life springs

From the simplest of elements
life is created
from the soil, water and the sun
all life springs

Summer
the flowers are blooming
the marriage is complete
animals lavish in the
fruits of the earth

Fall
The flowers wilt
decay and die
fertilizing
the ground for spring

Winter
Blizzards and storms
Ice and snow
Creating the snow pack that will feed the streams
in the spring

Spring
a familiar friend
An old compainion

Time
has a way
of reminding me

That spring, summer, fall and winter
are all on the way

All in due time
My friend, my companion
as we sit and watch the seasons pass
We laugh about the frogs croaking
and chasing fire flies on a warm summer night

What is...

What is passion
The feeling in my heart
The joy that envelopes me
takes me over and brings me to heaven

What is the sweet sound of music
that fills my heart with warmth and care
brings me home
connects me with my body and my soul

What is beauty
Striking my eyes with a feeling of awe
As I let go and live this moment
bringing the divine into sight

What is laughter
brightening my soul
sparkling burst of life
waking me up and spinning me around in this moment

What is care
Emotion and empathy and connection
The feeling of another's heart
connecting with mine

What is a smile
the warmth of feeling at peace
to be known, to be heard
appreciation for this moment

River of Eternal Love

True Gratitude like I have never felt before
Feeling a rush of love wash over me
As I feel the essence of pure freedom and joy
soft tears welling in my eyes

This gratitude is pure
Like water, nourishing my soul
the feeling of oneness within my heart
The pull of connection to all things

The source of this gratidue
is not affirmations
or lists

The source is letting go of all desire to change
All desire to control
All desire to be different than I am
All need to acquire more

Dropping the heavy weight and burden
of needful thinking
and recognizing
I am

I am all that I will ever be
I am all that could ever want
I am the river of eternal love within
drinking the cool clean water of life

What more could I ask for than life
What more could I ask for than breadth
What more could I ask for than to see with my eyes
What more could I ask for than to be in the presence of natures beauty

The greatest gift of all, to be alive, to be born from natures womb
What a miracle, what a gift, thrown into life
with nothing but flesh, blood, bone and muscle
My heart is vulnerable, but as it is exposed
Its beauty shines through

Thank you for making me into this fragile child
This emotional mess
This sorrow and misery
This burden of love

This radiant moment
Pure golden light
shinning from my heart
as the cracks let the light shine through

Ever in Wonder, this miracle
Nothing to fear
Everything to love
All that is here, was given

I have no control,
or reason
I can not explain
or resolve the paradox

That I am here.
In all probability
I shouldn't be
But I am

Thank you
My Love
My Source
My Soul

The Eternal divine
Radiant silhouette
of a dancing beauty
eluding my sight
But feeding my soul

Thank you

Only Passing by

Breadth is always passing
Breathing in...
Breathing out...
Yet, we don't name each breadth

We don't evaluate every breadth
We don't ruminate on a breadth from ten minutes ago
We don't get jealous of someone else's breadth
We don't strive for very impressive breadth, so that others will envy us

How is my furniture any different?
How are my clothes any different?
How are accomplishments any different?
All will pass, be gone and forgotten

All of my possessions will erode away
falling from their position
like sand in an hour glass

I see my life as but just one breadth
I see my worries as but the blink of an eye

What is time, but a traveling donkey
No concerns, for the passing artifacts
No concern, for the flashing signs
Only treading along, stepping in the feces of the donkey ahead

Knowing that this too will pass

I am

I am the broken voice
I am the disheveled old man
I am the black fur squirrel
searching for food

I am the homeless
I am the raped woman
I am the beautiful daughter
I am the disheartened couple

I am the rose that is blooming
I am the cracked sidewalk
I am the long haired hippy
I am the washboard being scrapped

I am the blood on the floor
I am the water in the glass
I am the electricity and fire
I am the siren in the distance

I am that I am

Soaring

The falcon carries no expectations
Soaring above the land
No fear of falling
No worries about yesterday

Only the soaring
wings stretched out
the wind carrying it
higher and higher

Its eyes observing
seeing long distances
across the landscape
feeling the sun shinning
off in the distance

feathers are light and colorful
hollow and flexible
Bending and bowing
as the falcon leans to the side

Gently gliding along
invisible jet streams
The falcon can't see them
or understand them
But he knows they are there

The falcon only feels the sensation
of rising and rising
No effort or struggle
The hands of Mother Nature
Guiding him to even greater heights

It lets out a loud screech
echoing in the valley
Acknowledging the wind that carries it
and it's connection with the sky

The Reflection of God

Purple cones of flowers
darting in all directions
pointing the way
and following no one

A beautiful cactus
its leaves spiraling
like the pedals
of a flower

From the earth they spring
They are all God's creations
They are all beautiful clothing
that the divine has sown

Witnessing the divine
in the sidewalk
the old man
the tense neighbor

Funny masks
of the creator
playing with color and shape
and sound

The spiral highways
swirling round
lights flashing
signaling the game has begun

Grab your costumes
we will go running
through the fields
laughing like children

What a night
To wander through
the dark streets
and find

The Reflection of God

The Birds are Dancing

Rabbits, foxes, squirrels, coyotes
Oak Trees, wild sage, tiny purple flowers
Water flowing through the land
Feeding them all

Flies, humming birds, owls
mice, ants and mosquitoes
snakes, raccoons, and bears
walking, flying and crawling

Cities, cars and gasoline
buildings, streets and gutters
suits, ties, and belts
manufactured and distributed

Airplanes, fighter jets, and cruise liners
sail boats, shipping boats and barges
buoys, watch towers and docks
moving, sailing and bobbing

Clown fish, whales, and sea lions
sea horses, jelly fish, and plankton
sting rays, sharks and octopus
swimming in circles in the sea

Flowing, feeding
walking, flying, crawling
manufactured, distributed
moving, sailing, bobbing
swimming in circles in the sea

Movement, rhythm and flow
listen closely and you can hear
the subtle melody
which is why

The birds are dancing

Shiny Objects

This object is so shiny
beautiful, and rare
so delicate
and costly

I should want this
This should be what I want
If I have this, I will have more
More is better

I don't feel good
I feel sick
I should feel better
Find something to make me feel better

This person annoys me
I don't like this person
They don't make me feel good
Stop talking person

What a bizarre feeling
to recognize your own selfishness
To realize you've driven all the way
to the promised land

To only find a broken down
Theme park
A useless parade
of worn out machinery

My ego thinks it is grand
Thinks of itself as a great hero
Someone who has done so much
For the service of others

But in the end only cares
If it make him feel good
If he will be recognized
If he will be admired

The river of the eternal
is flowing beneath
but it has only begun
to wash me clean

To truly let go
of petty concerns
and serve my true purpose
The connection with eternal Love.

Death and Birth

Mother of All Things
Holding space for death
Holding space for sadness
Holding space for creation

As we lay in the dirt
The earth embraces us
Holding us against her bosom
Out of the soil new life springs

The life that goes on forever
is within us
the life that we hold dear
is not us

Holding dear to the straw dogs
The figments of imagination
and losing our creativity
as we grasp on the illusion

The creative energy of life
flowing through my soul
giving birth to myriad
images and sensations

All will pass
All will ebb
All will flow

Let go
Let go
Let go

As the Mother of All Things
gives birth to me once again

Not Knowing and Knowing

Little thorns of thoughts
pricking at my joy
stabbing and jabbing
picking away at my bliss

The angry roommate in my head
leaving his trash in my skull
turning on the TV
When I'm trying to meditate

The grand ideal of non-judgment
seems so far away
I don't know how to judge
if I am making progress

I don't know if going up or down
I don't know if I'm going left or right

The trusted adviser in my head
has lied so many times
I don't trust him anymore

How can I let go
How can I be at peace
How do I reclaim my nature

Of Joy and Bliss

I am nothing
I am everything
oscillating like washing machine

Never really knowing where it will stop

Realizing that this is all part of the ego's game

To question, is to judge
To know, is not to speak

The Infinite Wonder of the Universe

Walking along a path
a dirt road
from Point A to Point B
My feet impacting the ground

I look forward to see
The glowing burning glare
of the Sun

All concerns
of tomorrow
melt away

The Sun has no concern
for problems and deadlines
No appointments or paperwork

The tiny shards of my life
smooth and soften
under the infinite gaze
of the universe

Planets dancing through space
in unison and harmony
spinning freely in suspension

No time or place
only the infinite wonder
of the universe

The warm glow of the sun
warms my heart
knowing
we are One.

The World Championship of Tiddlywinks

The tensions are high
The players are ready
Years of building up their manual dexterity
To properly flip a wink in a cup

This game is not for the weak of heart
Leave that to the chess players
At a moments notice
Your winks could be buried by your opponent

Many aspiring winkers
Reading copies of “Winking World Lite”
Dreams of being the world champion winker
Reaching the top winkerdom

As the match progress
The players are ruthless
Putting winks on top of winks
Unimaginable trick shots dazzle the audience

As the final shot is made
The raining champ has been usurped
A battle leaving both players
On the brink of destruction

The new reigning champion of winking
Stands tall and proud with his trophy
With a smug grin across his face
He proclaims

“Its great to be winker of the world again
7 years since I last was
Particularly nice, because someone on I work with
Collects sperm from chimpanzees
So its very nice to be a champ winker
And I’ll leave him to do the other half.”

The Sweet Smell of Lilacs

The sweet smell of lilacs
wafting in the air
envelope my heart
as I inhale

The warm embrace of life
lifts me up and carries me
from day to day
curious things pass before my eyes

Growing and dying
Screaming and silence
Creation and allowing
Evolution and Stillness

The seed is the flower
The flower is the seed
I am neither here nor there
Only in the mystery do I exist

Swirling around me
The scent of bliss
in this moment, I know
All is well

Chaos and Being

Calamity and Chaos
The inner workings of my mind
Papers, reports and problems
Files stacked upon files
The overworked assistant
Searching for a document
long lost and forgoten
with the answer the ultimate problem
Searching with haste and urgency
under the looming gaze
of 10,000 eyes and 10,000 judgments

I look outside and I see a tree
Firmly rooting in the ground
not striving, not stretching
not apologizing or boasting
Just being

I see a bird dancing in the sky
twirling in the wind
Not working, Not playing
Not hiding or performing
Just being