man would hold that sparkling orb
in his clasp of iron
to covet and to pillage
emboldened by
the might of his arm and voice
drawing on that glimpse of mind
he espies from the shore
never cognizant
those verdant greens and vibrant blues
are but the edge of all that matters
beautiful and resonant with
joyful purpose
###
Thank you once again to Eugi’s Causerie. This week’s prompt, “Round the World.”
Stand for Freedom!!
thunder rolling
as darkness slowly ebbs
toward a new day
low dark clouds smothering
the slumberous landscape
thunder growls as it advances
reaching into the soul
foretelling the rending winds
nothing safe in their path
the heaving destruction and pelting tears
the random bayonets of lightning
to leave behind an altered world
swept beyond the grasping heart
laying bare what little remains
the broken shards and heaven-soaked terrain
to every possibility
###
all these years later
she can’t help but notice
those moments when
she is still ready to run
ready to flee at a moment’s notice
ready to hide
to shrink into invisibility
ready to cower placate apologize submit
to be silent
ready to protect defend shield
guarded always
as the shadows continue to ricochet through her life
and yet somehow
the one who wrought those sad reflexes
must carry even more damage and suffering
worse
whether consciously or not
must live with the knowledge of what they did
and the legacy that lives from it
on so many levels
why do so many seem to spend
years and years of their lives in healing
and others spend those years
simply refusing to see
their own desperate need to heal?
###
Note: In writing the above, I couldn’t help but recall this one I wrote some years ago here.
let this whole day be my prayer
wrapped in the arms of an imagination
that loves so much it spills over
with endless beauty
unnoticed, pushed aside, destroyed
as the empty totems are so busily tended
day in day out
but let this whole day be my prayer
paused in stillness breathing the mystery
seeing all the startling details
as each dulcet note plays
for me for us
how and why did we ever turn our backs to this
it’s a pretty crazy game
everyone forced to play
can’t we just walk away, somehow
eyes, heart, breath, hand
know the truth and pant for it
right here underneath the detritus of our dementia
but each whole day was and is our prayer
each step a wordless devotion
###
earth sky air 