giving

more blessed to give

light of joy in others' eyes

soul satisfaction

each glance reminds me

you know what pulls my heartstrings

your gift of the heart

one deep breath
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Merry Christmas!!!!

darkness

wholehearted seeking
is a thrill
and a fear;
the letting go
often euphoric
until darkness,
then, trembling.
do you trust
what you remember
from before
the sun rose?
do you remember
what you saw
before the veil
of your eyes closed?
seeds grow in the dark
not in harsh light;
they embrace
the mystery
and reach the light
just when;
the dark is not fallow ground.

vision

rushing through the crowds

do i see behind the eyes

of your great burden

chill

when the cold wind blows

my southern soul searches for

place of belonging

beauty of advent

solitary flame

a candle better than curse

the beauty of one

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

now the light is two

in the deepening winter

the circle widens

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

rose candle joins flame

the wait is almost over

third week of advent

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

circle of complete

illuminating darkness

four lights shining bright

one deep breath

twelve days of poetry project

to sit in quiet

absorbing winter silence

december twilight

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

one innocent babe

born two thousand years ago

world forever changed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

hustle and bustle

sea of humanity flows

winter wander-land

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tropical weather

childhood winters must make do

northern state of mind

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

still and silent night

crunch of snow-pack under foot

homing feels so good

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

cold of december

forgotten in season's hope

bearing peace and love

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

strings of light delights

hope in a rainbow of shine

hugging Christmas tree

poets who blog

yummy!

delicate handling

dreaming of what you will be

autumn's sweet success
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

panna cotta smooth

vanilla and cranberry

season of delight

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

perfect flaky crust

nestling creamy pumpkin

dollop of whipped cream

one deep breath

hope

in winter we find
a tender moment of light
through the long darkness

container

half empty, half full

life poured forth into the glass

only you decide

waiting to be filled

with food and conversation

drink it in deeply

once whole and unlined

now broken by tides of time

beautiful in spite

one deep breath

grace

movement of grace
waters of complacency
ripple from center

pebbles

hard edges of life

tumbled about in current

smoothed by time's passing

one deep breath

passing

six years you've been gone
memories flood through this month
nobody's child now

adventure

boarding pass in hand
release from ordinary
wings carry away
words swirling around
countenance of perplexion
in a foreign land


the face of kindness
in spite of the foreign sounds
on the heart remains


dare to take the path
find directions in your heart
adventure awaits



one deep breath

ramble

leafy autumn search

on the byways of my heart

red and gold treasures

belonging

where do i belong

traveling on a journey

yearning for your face

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

quiet firelight

surrounding my evening chill

autumn belonging

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

folded in embrace

the circle of what matters

sighing depth of soul

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

miles of distance

merely separating touch

home, where the heart is

one deep breath

changes

just like november
to send the wind of changes
through the summer leaves

loneliness

alley-way alone

in a city built for two

quietly i trudge

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

alone in a crowd

do you notice the center

where i may be found

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

faithful and patient

wait for the master's return

please don't be too long

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

loneliness of time

felt in desolate places

shrill cry of the crow

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

house still and quiet

today i am an island

at least until three

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

one deep breath

late harvest

clinging to the wall

in the still sunshine of time

hope is in the fruit

cre8tiva, this one's for you

all souls

layered, time passage
rememberances this day
for all gone before

all saints

those who've gone before
life mimics in the season
leaves blanket the ground

all hallow's eve

the carving knife stands ready

full-wicked candles in the wing

mr. roundy pumpkin

soon to get a grin!

guts of seeds to roasting

soul cakes on the rise

hooting owl & clever moon

promise ghoulish surprise!

don the mask at sundown

quick, not to be seen

cackling laugh heard echoing

tonight is hallowe'en!

change II

turn away in dread

surrender to the moment

relief in the new

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

evening shadows fall

velvet night in quiet lull

morning rays awake

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

looking back i see

growth into the forward me

janus i can be

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

new horizon calls

winds of change beckoning forth

let go, autumn leaf

one deep breath

change

not ready
to face the steely grey
or brace myself against the blast
that will free the dying leaves

not ready
to prune back summer's best
or find among the thorns
the last rose bud never to full flower

not ready
for early twilight's canopy covering the world
or early morning's wakefulness
still steeped in the dark

summer left on the wind
born of a northern force
ushering in the length of night
emboldening brilliant moonshine
not asking, are you ready
bringing forth an urging deep & primal
for firelight & homing
rhythm moving on
ready or not
solstice bound
the turn of tide
winter's presence made known

hurricane

driving wind & rain
drawn together 'round the flame
shingles flying free

closeness

season of candle

blood of the grape in my glass

gather 'round to toast

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

over candlelight

gelato di limone

two spoons in one dish

one deep breath

marriage

the glory of two
hope is centered on the vine
and growth is outward

one deep breath...closeness

late bloomer

intrepid flower

bursting forth five months beyond

bloom out of season

balance

teetering on edge

focus in still quiet hope

i do it for you

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

off balance scatter

return to the hope that is

centering prayer

one deep breath...

above

i heard your voice

in the whispers & chants

just for a moment

i closed my eyes

& felt myself rise

out of ordinary

into the loft

of divine notes.

primary color

flashes of yellow
butterfly on goldenrod
in the sunbeam's light

simple pleasures...

whistling kettle
steaming cup, evening respite
day's cares drift away

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

sheets in summer breeze
scent of the wind and sunshine
insomnia's cure

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tomato home-grown
lop-sided juicy and red
harvest of my heart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

stir of a chill breeze
scent of autumn on the wind
leaf dance of delight

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

one deep breath

skylights

early morning rise
venus & the waning moon
just behind, the sun

boyworld

rambling about

lost in thoughts of neverland

come in for dinner

small

fingers fly
over the letters
one touch
to a world
grammatical smile
shared hope

little lamb

chime in

with your majesty,

cut through the thick august air,

scolding my thoughts

as though a tear

was wrong...

shed for a little lamb

a full century & a half gone,

set among roses

trunk thick with time...

the past smells possible

& close by

heavy with sorrow.

momma, your name is carved

trickled soft by rains...

it saddens my heart

to see your gift

stone cold

reminding me of our

present postures apart...

i am trying to learn

what this means

to feel your love from where

& live without your soft hugs.

juicy

sun warmed, fresh picked bite
streaming down the joyful chin
harvest of content

calling

i am a conduit
a mere vessel
whem empty
You may fill
when open
You may flow.

given

the gift you have been given
you must give in return,
go forth - not lightly
into the heart of life,
living in the abundance of God,
not caring nor worrying
but rather in hope & trust,
embracing God's wonder & presence
in every drop of the created,
reveling in holy enchantment
& the gentle lap of Love.
living thus is the only gift
we may truly give.

equinox

summer's airy breeze
perfect balance of sunlight
golden leaf let go

endings

last day of summer
sticky haze through autumn light
green mingling gold

seascape

the ocean is grief
our collective tears
raging in grey waves
pounding the sad sand
pulling against our wish.

the ocean is healing
a gentle flow of change
a play of light
rocking in motherly motion
sweet song in our ears.

sight

man by the road
in a posture of prayer
begging me to enter
into the ugliness of my surplus
and see
what i truly need
will fit in one bag
and my heart.

cradle of green

you caught my eye
in spite of the early morning haze
not enough coffee tasted-
away...my mind's wandering
the morning's freedom
not yet perusing a mental must-do;
a breeze lifted some of your bounty
just enough
amused, i turned my head.
your dreamy, verdant green
dripping with fresh dew
spilling over the edge
yet upturned in heliotropic wonder.
for one fairy-tale moment i imagine
that i am able to be contained
in repose on that one perfect leaf
rocked in the breeze
before i am fully awake.

poignant

when did you grow so tall
when did you reach beyond
when did your footprint
start to envelope mine
when did you begin to understand
the subtle nuances of life
i know i've looked carefully
all along the way
but some things grow in silence
just beyond the knowing
as the days pass in living
right before our eyes
soon you will be watching
as i've done with you
and you too will wonder
how it's come this far
from where it all began

charleston

holy city haze
enrobed in august summer
sit a spell - refresh

vapor

exhale of long
from the depths
warm, moist air
of the beginning
expanding haze
diffused light of midday.
deep, wet breath - inhale
heavy with time
& with life
languid movement
seductive slow
in summer's airy plight.

consolation

illuminated colors, captured still
hard to imagine your reality
of flesh & toil,
of knowledge deep
of pain that pierces a heart.
sunlight from behind
candlelight flickering
midday welcome into the quiet
beneath your benign smile.
inhale & sigh-
lay my worries on the cool ground
unburdened
for but a moment
thoughts turned to something more
for that time.
to return is somehow easier
because
on ordinary days
you mothered too

rosario

murmuring in tongues
late afternoon light
mingles with my solitude
in sanctuary.
i rise - not wanting to intrude
but weighted i may not go
& so the words wash over me
Ave Maria
in beams of sea light.
words i may soon join
as i gain clarity
surrounded by pillars:
flesh & stone
i am pulled into what i sought-
Word & Communion
to slake my thirst
& bind my heart
in a gentle stitch
with timeless thread
spun in love
in a not-so-foreign land

for lisa

The sunlight has bathed
The once-dark room;
The candlelight that banished
The curse
Is now enveloped
In the daylight of hope.
My life-breath passes over the flame
But does not blow it out.
The flame vanishes
In a whisp of air;
A tendril of smoke
Rises to celestial realms.
I thread my gratitude
Into its delicate haze
And it becomes my prayer.

3am

a nudge from the fog of good sleep
not sorry to see the moon
pouring comfort into the deep night
cool stone under my feet, grounding consolation
necessary stop & slaking of thirst
but not back to repose...
first slip out the door into warm night air
slight stirring breeze & serenade
raise my arms in delight, hair tickling my face
then
slip back under cover, sigh to sleep

artist

if i promise to write
the words you paint,
will you also
give color to my verse?
when i walk on the journey,
your capture of light
pulls me from my blindness.
please free my pen
from monotone ink,
onto the canvas
breathe life.

origami

paper wings
folded in perpetual open
waiting
for a lofting breeze

still

be still:
i found your photograph
through tears of missing you.
all aflutter, my mind,
seeking solace in memory.
in perfect silence
it spoke
straight to the heart
of my matter.
spindley branches
new green shoots
perfect poise
unlikely
still
against the backdrop
of heaven.

shared

a long day at the end of an almost long week
running in every direction, little to show for it
a persistent whisper -- for several days
a mental sparring match...it's too hard, i can't do it
i will cry
i will feel vulnerable all over again
i will lose her in another moment of a series of moments that remember the loss
...weep with those who weep...
a humble present of time, stepping forward in surprising affirmation
i call.
she sounds hollow & congested
i wonder at the paradox of that
just let her talk
lean into her grief, born of a sudden loss.
her heart bursting to tell the whys & hows of the passing month
her depth begging to tell things to someone who will nod in memorial unified.
yes, they are gone -- in many ways
no, we remain -- with the important parts & comforts of what they were for us
...for they shall be comforted...
the twining of their memories is a healing for both of us
quite & speak, this & that
they were... we did... wouldn't they have... remember when...
tears mixed are the chemistry of grief
sigh.
disconnect, but better
or so it seemed, as the sun set quietly on the ordinary day.

wings

my spirit soared in the windless sky
unbidden by a pained breeze
too high to sweep along its current
reveling in the majesty from above.
your words of loss -- that grieving wind
rushed up & touched my wings
& i dipped low
mourning the passing
of one who helped me soar.

shift

the moon slipped across the sky
casting a gauzy glow on night
tickling my face awake
to see its nocturnal bliss.
it stole my sleep with its beauty
pulling me into a moonbean, a dance
tune unplayed by man
& a willing partner was i
til first sun touched the east.
my rosy partner dipped to the west
out of sight beyond distant trees.
& i turned to greet the sunrise.

because

in the colorful, strange place
over the din of the crazy crowd,
the voice said...you must love
with a love that is whole & uncomplicated,
a love that disregards all pain.
in that moment
the crowd slipped away,
a hushed quiet surrounded what i heard
auditory heaven.
& so i loved to pain
to hurt
as i was told
because i must.

relief

everyone we meet
is carrying something
too fearful to share~~~
our love must see past it,
reach out a hand to lighten it
with a glance of 'all is well'
& a smile of life...
you are my neighbor

known

a sly smile
& twinkle of an eye...
i see you too
past the weight of your burden,
straight to the heart...
the light place where you shine