Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A Meditation


This is my submission for Poetry Potluck Wednesday:

A Meditation

Bring your body to absolute stillness.
Empty completely your ruminating mind.
Slow your heartbeat down to nothing,
Remain very quiet.
Now-
Open yourself up.
Grow roots down through concrete,
Into the rich, black soil and stone,
Down through the remains of the dead,
Through layers of history,
To the fire within the molten core.
Surrender yourself-
Connect to the all-knowing wisdom.
Become the infinite,
The giver and taker of life,
The universal Mother.
Open yourself to her mystery,
This pure energy is vast and unending,
Overflowing this physical container.
We are a part of everything and nothing.
Within this place shines
The true face of God.


Word of the Day: cryptic. (adj) secret, occult. Meant to be puzzling or mysterious.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Listening to the Whippoorwill



Listening to the Whippoorwill

I stood, standing stock-still
Listening to the whippoorwill.
Songs coming from the hidden brush,
Lyrical notes of color rush
To my keenly listening ear,
The night is dark, the sounds draw near.
I sense the bird draw nearer still,
Feeling the cold of winter chill,
As I stood stock-still,
Night grows darker, darker still,
Listening for the whippoorwill.



Word of the Day: Adamantine. (adjective) Utterly unyielding or firm in attitude or opinion. Very hard, unbreakable, unyielding.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Coming Upon a Grave in the Woods

Tombstone photo from a cemetery I visited on a recent trip to Massachusetts

Coming Upon A Grave in the Woods


Worn gray, marble stone
That marks a life to me unknown,
Now rotted cloth and pristine bone.
In life begins, in death undone.

The pitted surface, I trace a name
Made unreadable by wind and rain,
The flesh decayed, the bones remain.
The wind reveals a whispered name.


Ever since I was a kid, I've loved graveyards. Especially the old ones with carved angels, effigies and skulls with wings. I am fascinated by graveyard statuary, mausoleums and old rusted cemetery gates. Basically anything that feels like a setting for a really good ghost story. Most people have a photo album containing family pictures. I have one containing pictures of graveyards from all over the USA. My family would humor me on trips and go out of their way to stop and let me tour an old cemetery or two. They actually are good sports about it, although some family members and friends find it odd.
For some reason spending time walking through a cemetery is very comforting to me.
I find peace among the tombstones and cypress trees, weeping willows and rusted gates. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's the act of my remembering that these people were once flesh like me. They experienced love and loss, joy and sorrow, and all too quickly they were gone. It makes you appreciate every precious moment.

Word of the Day: macabre. (adjective) extremely disturbing or repellent; horrible.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Some Magnetic Poetry



Several years back, I bought a set of "Magnetic Poetry" magnets and stuck them all over my fridge. Everyday after work, I would stand there staring at the words, start with some that appealed to me, arrange them, add more, rearrange them and create poems. It was very cathartic. I was working a job that I hated and the creation of poetry would help me move through my anger and frustration quickly. Like a workout for the mind to relieve stress.


Magnetic Poem 1
I crushed my delicate shadow
Here beneath a frantic summer storm.
Still the sordid screams from her head
Surged a blood purple sky
Rain sprays on death and
Cries for my friend,
Leaving a bitter ache
Felt through eternity.


Magnetic Poem 6
Raw moments crushed
Beneath your demon tongue.
Driven mad with power
You cry out"worship me"
and petals fall from my vision,
staring into ugliness.


Word of the Day: numinous.(adjective) 1 of or characteristic of a numen;supernatural;divine 2 having a deeply spiritual or mystic effect

Sunday, June 19, 2011

The Spiral of Water



The spiral of water
in blue, concentric rings
undulates through deep
tendrils of brain matter,
unraveling my thoughts,
filling me with calm,
with peace,
with sleep,
just before drowning.



The butterfly state
: a term I use to describe the feeling I get in my body as I step out of my comfort zone and follow a path into the unknown. It is a feeling hovering between intoxicating euphoria and absolute terror. Like walking on the edge of a razor blade. I can try to fit into my old life but the butterfly can no longer be the caterpillar once the chrysalis has split open. Now is the time to strengthen my wings.


This human face is a shape tethered in a stall of pain: part god, part angel, part beast...a secret charm rarely released. -Rumi



Word of the Day:Repose.(verb)To lie at rest. To rest in death or a grave.

Friday, June 17, 2011

What is memento mori?



Down the well there lies misfortune.
Below the surface lies mistrust.
I was calm when I unearthed them,
From the blackened mud and rust.

Above the mire lies such beauty.
Flowers afire from the sun.
Life creates such brilliant moments.
Death exhales, the moment's done.




The whole idea of remembering your mortality appeals to me. As an artist,I recognize the beauty in nature and in moments, but recognize that these will not last. I am learning, as I get older, that all we have is this minute. I am trying to live my life "in the moment." Something I've only recently learned to do, something I will continue to have to learn everyday of my life.




Word of the Day: Frenetic.(adjective) Frenzied or frantic.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Before the sun rose this morning


Before the sun rose this morning,
I floated in the mist of dreams.
Before the last puzzle piece was placed,
I let the mystery begin.
Before I left my parents' home,
I cherished the safety held within.
Before I die, I want to live,
More fully than I've been.



I'm beginning this blog as part of my journey in self discovery.  I am seeking a connection to other artists, writers, poets, creatives for support, inspiration and enlightenment. My objective is to share my art, photography, poetry, journal entries, word of the day and posting poetry challenges. I look forward to reading others work and providing the input and support that nourishes our souls. 




Word of the day:  Journey. (noun) An act or instance of traveling from one place to another.