Ice covers every green leaf,
blue berry, bare branch –
clear, heavy, bending, breaking.
The weight of water, freezing flow
as if time were captured
the glistening moment caught
in a watery transparent shroud –
cessation, ceaseless, sensate time at last!
Frozen form, fractured,
snapping in the wind,
breaking in sharp shards
into the bright air,
crackling onto the brittle snow below
time, once again, set free.
Portland, Oregon – February 2014
It starts inside
the end of violence in the world
the end of anger.
I find myself in my fear.
I recognize it, take hold of it
slowly make it release its tight hold
on my past, my now, my coming to be,
even if it takes a lifetime.
Slowly, freedom of the unclenched heart comes,
without flag, country, anthem, or drumbeat.
Waking in the morning
determined to peel away, forcibly at times,
the clutching grasp of fear;
say goodbye to it, daily,
and, on death’s bed, forever.
January 2, 2016 – Portland, Oregon
Photo taken of an exterior wall in NE Portland. Seemed like a good New Year’s resolution. From the poet and Islamic mystic, Rumi.
Buddha of old year
Offers Buddha of New Year
Sublime suffering.
Christ and Buddha speak
Through pages of passing years
Of winter and change.
Sun and winter wind
Wish to come inside my home.
I will go outside.
December 31, 2015 – Portland, Oregon
Long strings of lights fly through our winter nights
held by tall bamboo in Alex and Laura’s front yard.
Three pillars of light for the darkest days of the year,
waving long brightly colored arms in the gusting winds of December.
They greet us with joyful light
on this solemn day of long dark hours.
A sign.
Here comes Karen, bringing the mail,
bundled up for a long day’s journey –
rain hat, boots, postal service blue rain coat.
She bring bills, flyers, and magazines,
in spite of hard rain and blowing cold.
Hail, Karen and fare-thee-well this day!
A sign.
Upstairs, I’ve got my down coat on
looking out the window across Ann’s garden.
Where did all your flower’s go, your iris and your rose?
Gone with the winter winds and rain.
There’ll be another time to plant and prune, Ann,
today is a day for heralding the coming of light.
Portland, Oregon – December 2015
Leaves, waiting, cling to cold branches
on trees beside a watercourse,
restless, brittle, resolute.
They twirl in solemn anticipation,
green life gone; spring breath lost –
swift passing season.
Brilliant light sweeps across frozen mesquite and sage,
gathers in rock, cliff, wash, basin,
severs – quiet, unknown mystery – the last hold.
They come down – wintry life swirling in the desert wind.
___________________
Reno, Nevada – 1989
In Cascadia 