love is

Resist your temptation to lie

By speaking of separation from God,

Otherwise,

We might have to medicate

You.

In the ocean

A lot goes on beneath your eyes.

Listen,

They have clinics there too

For the insane

Who persist in saying things like:

"I am independent from the Sea,

God is not always around

Gently

Pressing against

My body."

___________________________________

Here I  sit

Early morning

Very early morning

And God is here

Gently pressing

In the licks of my cat

In the kneading

In the notes from friends

Love is

Present

And

Accounted for

Deep Listening, Loving Speech

They can be like the sun, words

They can do for the heart

what light can do

for a field

                                St John of the Cross

_________________________________

Wise men

say it clearly

resolution to the worlds ills are not to be found

in the clanging noise of the internet

through harsh encounters

where everyone is talking

an no one is listening

except with a eye

to a response

the healing of the world

is to be found

in deep listening

in understanding

in loving speech

a lesson even more difficult

to learn

when we are soooooo

sure WE

are right

_____________________________

Lord, this day

help me to stop for a moment

May I really listen to

all the pain, and fear

and yes joy too

which lurks behind the words

My I seek to understand with the heart

and use my words

wisely

scattering them

like warm sun across a

field of good seeds

to bring forth

good

fruit

On smiling

 

O Wondrous Creatures

by what strange miracle do you

so often not

smile?

                                Hafiz

_________________________________________________

In the darkness of early morning

I watch the healthy exuberance of cat the younger

who prowls

eagerly

looking for mischief

and I watch the halting steps

of cat the older

nearing death

weak

and wanting to be

himself

but just not able

I think of the day ahead

of challenges and opportunities

of the day past

of good moments

and bad

and I have a choice

I always have a choice

on what path will I place my feet

what seeds will I nurture

who, will I invite

into the living room of my soul?

Since I have a choice

I think I will

try

for being me there is no guarantee

to smile

over the miracle of life

the miracle of 19 years

with my old friend the cat

over the small gifts of beauty and compassion

that will come my way

truly

what an oddity it would be

if I did not

Stuck with another day

Stuck with another day

how should we

pass

it?

If anything worked for you before

-          I’d give that preference

Mira

____________________________________________

the day before ended

poorly

not badly

just came to a halt with a whimper

when it could not be faced

anymore

and the only way forward

was to hope

sleep

was a way around the

dark wall 

looming

today is another day

the dark is still profound

both without

and within

where does light go

sometimes?

I guess I will just have to dive in

to the day

to my soul

and see if I can

find

it