for now nothing but the rain
in the aftermath of solstice
subtle rivers flow on
slipping into depths unseen
stars hover in the cosmos
guardians or voyeurs
too distant to discern
moon lingers into dawn
quiet light
reflects in your eyes
what thoughts have you today
what troubles what joys
what promises do you make
to no one in case you don’t
follow through
praise the winter moth
there amid a strand of old man’s beard
and cedar bark from the forest floor
hope fluttering in its wings~
after the rain I stepped out
for a walk on a quiet night
a gray cat called out and I turned
as she rushed forward from shadows
beneath the street library shelter
cats like books, I think
especially piles of them in corners
or open on your lap as you read aloud
my boots were muddy and wet
the cat wound herself round and round
my legs meowing with yearning
her coat was warm and slick
I spoke with her in low whispers
then curiosity distracted me
I paused cat stroking to straighten
open the door for a brief look
at the four rows of new and old books
while the cat mewed and slipped away again
I will not linger nor will I regret and yet
as I walked on my thoughts wandered
and I do admit
not one book spine in that wee library
gifted me anything like connection
like the trust of the small cat wet and crying
on a quiet night after the rain🪶
contemplation by quiet low light
gather the things that hold meaning
stand before a window framing
a world you belong to and
think you know
reach for the ceiling
expecting a sky open wide
open arms
spread your wings
close your eyes
sway awhile
you wait
no answers to fall
no wisdom arrives
you’ve only a circle of stones
power rests in your will to survive
your silent unrecognized skill
to rearrange them🪶
In the place of tall trees
I go walking
Bird song rises
Human sounds fade
One or two dog wanderers quiet smiling
Calm passages
Light flicks between flutter leaves
There’s a chair been delivered by someone
maybe needing a place sometimes to go
maybe needing away from their chaotic all
Maybe they close their eyes here and listen
simmer runaway minds and just hum
The world is abundant
All is possible
There’s joy of life and there’s beauty
There’s danger threat and fear
The world can feel so heavy
Humanity’s suffering is everywhere plenty
Some of us find less Lonesome in here🪶
Standing near centre
Am I to float or to fly
Hiraeth versus breath🪶
so wonder at the turn
what was yesterday
led into a labyrinth
grey and stained
decide your next move
driver be not passive
passenger I know
it can be easy to forget
let go take the ride
as it comes
closing eyes beckoning
disaster but who among
us draws ecstasy by slivers
defines power by surrender
broken fingers
crippling shards embed
scar your knees
still you breathe
and you climb
you gasp for life
out of bed
for wonder opens again
like possibility shivers
before sun warms
dawn of this new day🪶
There is then and there is now
before and after
There is
the difference between
occupied and vacant
Pulse
Breath
break
Silence
these bare walls
While I lay restless dreaming
Moon slipped behind the mountain
Still I trust she was there
I am a reliable witness to events past
Therefore—
In the lambent light of this new morning
Remnants of my vivid dreamscape linger
A part of me remains present there
A mime with an indecipherable message
While I sip cinnamon coffee, breathe slow, read words from my morning text
Then read the same line again to embed
Both there and here
Presence and Absence
Which scene is this then and what act
Who’s offstage to feed my forgotten lines
Is the sky out my window the opening
Or the denouement
Is there a pause feature in this plot
I have questions to answers I think you know
Go to the beach. Go to the part where nobody lingers. The heron is watching. Seagulls survey. There’s the smell of saltwater. Seaweed tangled among stones. Fragments of shells. Half crabs. Splinters of sunwashed bone. Hear the song of the waves drifting out drifting in. Redwinged Blackbird calls from undercover of wild roses.
Driftwood messengers
Heartbeat rhythm on the wind
Shifts of time
clarity
contemplate your resurrection path
winds are strong today
avert the fragile makers
empty vessels travel weightless
anchors having all rusted away
your hair obscures your view
yet you see what needs be seen
a blurring
a sign
a single thread
soft speaking from the edge of
a craggy cliff
a hem of your old sweatshirt