Our most tender
are our most wounded
they lose the strength
and they find it again
in moments of hope
you rise above it all
in moments of pain
you crash down again.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><> 06/16/16
The souls roll by on the road of life
Tiny dreams in a steady stream
Propel each one to a place uncertain
Languishing in the early morn
Not forming thoughts full enough to grasp
Holding out some hope of a larger meaning today.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><> 06/23/16
Settle in for the night
Let your mind relax
And your eye gaze soft
The answer is kindness
Be kind
To Yourself
Be kind
Be yourself
Be kind
Be kinda kind
Be yourself
<><><><><><><><><><><><><> 06/14/16
Sunday morning sight
purple and green and yellow
chickens in delight
<><><><><><><><><><><><><> 05/29/16
Here’s to the bright and shiny things
Here’s to the loves that my life brings
Here’s to the sharing now
Because life turns out this way somehow
Here’s to the sharing with any who carry
The light of kindness overcoming blindness
Sharing now
Sharing space
Sharing life
Sharing grace
Whole earth moved around the sun
Never left, not anyone
Earth each day with light of dawn
Brings to life all that abounds
Through the day ‘til sun goes down
Handling life with all around
Life unbound is held somehow
To all the sharing we do now
Sharing this and sharing that
Life goes on despite the cat
How we do is life emerging
Energy in time is surging
Held together by life’s urging
Held together across space and time
Living out our lives sublime
Mystery held without a doubt
Being here
Being here
Being alive
Without a doubt
<><><><><><><><><><><><><> 05/27/16
The wind came up
The field grasses wavered
And bent on their stems
Two white butterflies
Flew through the meadow
Dancing around each other
Floating and flapping on the wind
They made their way
To the western edge
Then one white butterfly
Landed in the grass
And the other flew on alone
To the place where a long dead tree
Leaned on a living tree.
Smiles and kisses
Dreams and schemes
Plans and hopes
Made up this thing
Random lucky breaks
And hard work and sweat
Smiles and kisses
Dreams and schemes
Happy children
Long days and sleepy nights
Words and looks
Things from books
Smiles and kisses
Dreams and schemes
Days of caring
Days of sharing
Lifetime legacy
After all this
Smiles and kisses
Dreams and schemes
Hopes and visions
Small changes
Big changes
Major setbacks
Lived through with grace and stamina
Smiles and kisses
Dreams
Dreams foregone and fulfilled
Schemes aplenty
But mostly simply
Being
Being together
Through all this
Smiles and kisses
Simple joys
Happy dinners
Sons all grown
All of them sharing
Smiles and kisses
Smiles and kisses
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 09/11/13
It’s not about fighting. It’s about being. Therese
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 09/11 13
Power responds to power
Kindness responds to kindness
Civility responds to civility
When people exercise power
With kindness and civility
People win
All people
All of us will be satisfied
If we conduct ourselves
Powerfully
Kindly
Civilly
Potencia responde al poder
La bondad a la piedad
Civilidad responde a la civilidad
Nos pueblo ejerce el poder
con amabilidad y cortesía
Las personas ganan
Todos
Todos vamos a estar satisfechos
Si nos conducimos
Poderosamente
Amablemente
Civilmente
تستجيب السلطة إلى السلطة
اللطف يستجيب إلى اللطف
الكياسة وتستجيب لالكياسة
نحن شعب ممارسة السلطة
مع اللطف والكياسة
تربح الناس
كل الناس
وعلينا جميعا أن نرضى
إذا كان لنا أن نتصرف
بقوة
يرجى
بتهذيب
动力响应电源
善良回应恩情
礼貌回应文明
我们人民行使权力
用善良和礼貌
笼络人心
所有人
我们所有的人会感到满意
如果我们自己行为
有力
和蔼
民事
But, for the rest of us
The time has come
to stand up
if we can
Or sit together
And raise up
our thoughts and votes
to the heights
they need to arise
Yes, and, for the rest of us
The gathering time has arrived
We arise in loving response
to our sisters and brothers
All of us care for each one.
That is how the world should be
for the rest of us.
Inspired by Tim Konrad
A record number of volunteers came out
To see what they could do about
Sisters and brothers sleeping in trees
Living lives with heads held high, while crawling on their knees
Found cats sleeping in cars
Sleeping underneath the stars
Mothers or fathers, sisters or brothers, right there beside them
Friends at the bottom sharing a life besotten
of turmoil then gladness
despite all the sadness
Beside each other life is complete
with spirit and companions there is no defeat
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 01/29/16 for Marie
An ongoing life declared
Blessings upon blessings
goodness upon goodness
light upon day
time upon being
present upon present
revelation upon movement
then upon now
now upon the future
future life declared
Fingertip counting
Syllables shaping poem
Got to write it down
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 11/24/15