the lone pea

Father hood
like
neighbor hood ness...

isn't community,
connection,
the obvious

nature of a rug
woven
from a sheep's hair
and a cotton plant

that wholeheartedly
did
just arise
out of mud and water
and sunshine?

where did the crazy idea
ever come from

that i could
be
a lone r
in this soup,
this concoction,
this casserole dish?

one pea
without a father,
without any other peas in the world...
i just appeared and made my self up
with no help at all
from FatherMother Pea

how childlike,
how mythological,
how playful,
such a story...

but certainly not

possible!

:-)

stitches

stitches

eyes sewed shut tight
by the  needle of belief

heaven all around
touching me
fingers
looking
goofy
musical
oof the wall
"raised in a barn"
a notch too high
delinquent

pearls
of salvation
this necklace

my joy
replaced
by stitches

ramping up
only blindness
i call colorful

this righteous rightness
of mine

nothing else
do i cherish so dearly

cast overboard
all family, friends
and strangers

that on my gravestone
my holy name
is inscribed,
"i am right"
and everyone else is wrong...

a life of death
herein lies

to have lived,
but not to have loved
at all

isn't it time
now
to remove
the stitches
and
notice

the stars bursting
in flame?

these dear dear hearts,
the tender dazzling reflection
of my own

transparent heart

this "man's" heart was so transparent

crystal clear
nothing to hide
the light
from coming through

without the thought "i have to solve her problem"

 love was all there was

 tenderness
 humor
 relaxation
 touch
 restoration
 presence

the blessed residue
of marriage
of my Self
the Other
the All

no thought
to cloud the Sky

only holiness

on his knees
to offer his love
to hold her hand
to walk beside her
to look into her eyes
and be

wisdom

wisdom
has seen
everything

nothing new
under the sun,
children growing up
don't know this

they think
surprises can happen,
a flat tire,
a death,
puppy
peeing on the rug

no new thought

wisdom has been there first,
seen
the outcome,

holds the perspective
of what going down that road means

it's been done
1000x1000 times before

she also knows the road less traveled

denial is to pretend
you aren't wise
and don't know this

it's a lie
about a lie

if you try emptiness
one more time,
you will come out full

you know
this isn't so,
Child

imagine

imagine  (a state of mind)

where all things are possible

and no one
is ever
hurt

nothing too good
to be true

"sometimes i've believed
as many as six impossible things
before breakfast." (Lewis Carroll as the queen in Alice in Wonderland)

so natural and fun
as kids

flying like a bird
leaping over mountains
as big as Paul Bunyan

reaching the stars
holding Jupiter in my hand

giants
Lilliputians
mice that talk
talking car/boats
fleas with wisdom

toads and beasts transformed by a single kiss

imagine Joy!
more than you ever dreamed possible

what would you rather do with your time?
is there a better way
to spend time?
a greater purpose?

than ecstasy
friendship
laughter
clarity?

all power in Heaven and earth
all power in Mind
all power now
here
you

nowhere else 
no one else
no how else
no second to wait

simply yours
whenever you want 
what you are,

the Source
of all Joy

whoooeee!

nothing
beats you, Joy

ode to a dirty dish

there is a fold in the cloth,

a misnomer
in the mind

there 's no such thing
as
a dirty dish.

it's supposed to be
 exactly as it is
right now

greasy chicken carcass
scraps of green
scattered grains of rice

you just ate

look!
 at the beauty
of the remains

the story 
of one fed
human being

a dinner provided
easily
kindly
tastily

a bird
flew here
to support you!

she lives as you
now

what need is the hurry
to erase this gift?

this plenty,
of flourishing green leaves,

the sun herself,
in costume,
in juices you can drink

she lives as you 
now

oh divine miracle,
the flow
of each
into the other--
how ever did we
conceive
for a moment
that
"i" am not the sea,
not the earth,
not the leaf,
or the flower?

no,
hurry not
to wash away
this life's gifts

that continue
like a circle
ever to arrive
arrive
arrive

the signs of her
Coming,
the "dirty" dish
is but
altar
to get on my knees
and give thanks
give thanks
give thanks

that wonders
never do cease

and Love
provides
a feast

every moment
every moment
every
moment

how grateful
to have the sign
i've
been
fed...

no more a 'dirty' dish,
but only
a dish
covered
completely
in love....

She
gives

She gives

now
now

now

i never dreamed....

have you ever seen
a rose
come right out of  your mouth?

literally
bloom
fragrance
out on to the loveliness
surrounding you?

looking at you
with bright eyes

and hearts,
mirrors,
these dear...
One Heart

all give back to me
today

12 mirrors
beam back
depth
intimacy
fearlessness
innocence
the impossibility of loss,
trust

he said,
oh! i never dreamed i could paint 
anything
so beautiful!

can you feel it?

how grateful.
 to be  showered 
by the starlight
in my brother's eyes...

the joy
of experiencing
the grace
that flows
continually
everywhere