On the Way to Windsor
By what road did you come?
I can tell by your eyes—
you lost something along the way.
Were you hurt or did you do the hurting?
Me? Both.
Did you drop anything willingly?
I know. That's a hard one.
I seem to have lost everything
that identifies me.
My heart's become a knapsack
with torn little holes.
I knew we’d meet like this.
Oh, there are those who keep to themselves.
When the wind sounds like a loved one,
they come out and squint.
But tell me, what does it mean
to dream on this side of suffering?
That we can rest more?
That we can hear small birds
unlace the dawn?
It seems very simple now.
We can finally talk
when there isn't much to say.
It's quite beautiful, isn't it?
~Mark Nepo
Excerpted from Reduced to Joy by Mark Nepo.
Source: Oprah Newsletter
3 November 2013
BEHIND THE THUNDER
I keep looking for one more teacher,
only to find that fish learn from water
and birds learn from sky.
If you want to learn about the sea,
it helps to be at sea.
If you want to learn about compassion,
it helps to be in love.
If you want to learn about healing,
it helps to know of suffering.
The strong live in the storm
without worshipping the storm.
~Mark Nepo
Source: Oprah Newsletter
only to find that fish learn from water
and birds learn from sky.
If you want to learn about the sea,
it helps to be at sea.
If you want to learn about compassion,
it helps to be in love.
If you want to learn about healing,
it helps to know of suffering.
The strong live in the storm
without worshipping the storm.
~Mark Nepo
Source: Oprah Newsletter
WAY OF THE DOLPHIN
Standing in the harbor,
these slick wonders slip their fins
in and out of early sun.
I close my eyes and remember
being wheeled into surgery
all those years ago;
believing my job was to meet
my surgeon at the surface,
so the rib he had to remove
would slip out,
like a dolphin of bone,
as soon as he would cut me.
I've learned that everything that
matters goes the way of the dolphin:
drifting most of the time out of view,
breaking surface
when we least expect it.
And our job—in finding God,
in being God;
in finding truth,
in being truth;
in finding love,
in being love—
is to meet the world
at the surface
where Spirit slips
out through every cut.
~Mark Nepo
Source: Oprah Newsletter
these slick wonders slip their fins
in and out of early sun.
I close my eyes and remember
being wheeled into surgery
all those years ago;
believing my job was to meet
my surgeon at the surface,
so the rib he had to remove
would slip out,
like a dolphin of bone,
as soon as he would cut me.
I've learned that everything that
matters goes the way of the dolphin:
drifting most of the time out of view,
breaking surface
when we least expect it.
And our job—in finding God,
in being God;
in finding truth,
in being truth;
in finding love,
in being love—
is to meet the world
at the surface
where Spirit slips
out through every cut.
~Mark Nepo
Source: Oprah Newsletter
WRITTEN WHILE RUNNING
Sometimes I move so fast it hurts.
Though the things coming at me
are not moving at all.
They are soft and inviting.
It's approaching them as if
they will vanish
that makes them sharp.
Running into any point
makes it a knife.
~Mark Nepo
source: Oprah Newsletter
Though the things coming at me
are not moving at all.
They are soft and inviting.
It's approaching them as if
they will vanish
that makes them sharp.
Running into any point
makes it a knife.
~Mark Nepo
source: Oprah Newsletter
ON THE RIDGE
We can grow by simply listening,
the way the tree on that ridge
listens its branches to the sky,
the way blood listens its flow
to the site of a wound,
the way you listen like a basin
when my head so full of grief
can’t look you in the eye.
We can listen our way out of anger,
if we let the heart soften
the wolf we keep inside.
We can last by listening deeply,
the way roots reach for
the next inch of earth,
the way an old turtle listens
all he hears into the pattern of his shell.
~Mark Nepo
Source: Oprah Newsletter
the way the tree on that ridge
listens its branches to the sky,
the way blood listens its flow
to the site of a wound,
the way you listen like a basin
when my head so full of grief
can’t look you in the eye.
We can listen our way out of anger,
if we let the heart soften
the wolf we keep inside.
We can last by listening deeply,
the way roots reach for
the next inch of earth,
the way an old turtle listens
all he hears into the pattern of his shell.
~Mark Nepo
Source: Oprah Newsletter
31 October 2013
On Twilight's Edge
I cannot recall exactly when, was it a dream
Was I walking on the backstreets of memory
A voice asked me, 'Do you know the difference
Between the light and the dark? '
Echoes led me deep into a cold, dark place
Tortured growls from a wounded mother beast
I stood in awe of the horror to be unleashed
Lost souls shrieked petitions before Heaven
Wolves donned wool of the slaughtered Lamb
Shepherds wandered off into the wilderness
'I thought I could discern the difference'
I cried out, 'I was mistaken! ! '
The voice answered, 'If you truly knew
Neither dark nor light would be necessary
Only twilight's edge remains
Where the night and the day always meet
Returning to here and now, tears in my eyes
Bathing in the glow of twilight's edge
The birds went quiet
For precious moments
Peace from beyond dried my tears
Suddenly I thought I had glimpsed Paradise
© 2005 Roderick Dwayne Gering
Was I walking on the backstreets of memory
A voice asked me, 'Do you know the difference
Between the light and the dark? '
Echoes led me deep into a cold, dark place
Tortured growls from a wounded mother beast
I stood in awe of the horror to be unleashed
Lost souls shrieked petitions before Heaven
Wolves donned wool of the slaughtered Lamb
Shepherds wandered off into the wilderness
'I thought I could discern the difference'
I cried out, 'I was mistaken! ! '
The voice answered, 'If you truly knew
Neither dark nor light would be necessary
Only twilight's edge remains
Where the night and the day always meet
Returning to here and now, tears in my eyes
Bathing in the glow of twilight's edge
The birds went quiet
For precious moments
Peace from beyond dried my tears
Suddenly I thought I had glimpsed Paradise
© 2005 Roderick Dwayne Gering
A Bird Came Down
A bird came down the walk:
He did not know I saw;
He bit an angle-worm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw.
And then he drank a dew
From a convenient grass,
And then hopped sidewise to the wall
To let a beetle pass.
He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all abroad,--
They looked like frightened beads, I thought;
He stirred his velvet head
Like one in danger; cautious,
I offered him a crumb,
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home
Than oars divide the ocean,
Too silver for a seam,
Or butterflies, off banks of noon,
Leap, splashless, as they swim.
@Emily Dickinson
He did not know I saw;
He bit an angle-worm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw.
And then he drank a dew
From a convenient grass,
And then hopped sidewise to the wall
To let a beetle pass.
He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all abroad,--
They looked like frightened beads, I thought;
He stirred his velvet head
Like one in danger; cautious,
I offered him a crumb,
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home
Than oars divide the ocean,
Too silver for a seam,
Or butterflies, off banks of noon,
Leap, splashless, as they swim.
@Emily Dickinson
Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.”
Christian D. Larson
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.”
Christian D. Larson
High Mountains
From behind the high mountains,
Planting little seedling of light.
It crushes the yellow sunshine
Into small pieces,
Making anklets for the mountain tops!
Ankle deep in the wind
Flow perfumes,
The birds fall asleep.
Through a clump of green trees
A water channel flows
Piping a melody!
Seeing the blue lotus
In the mirror- like water
The drooping leaves weep.
The wind has tied
Tiny anklets around its feet,
And stamps her heels as she walks!
Raindrops asleep
On soft, tender shoots,
Are lit by sunbeams.
A tiny, golden bird
Calls to the travelers
With shrill whistles.
In the clear blue sky,
A kite circles,
Among the rays of light.
A flower becomes a drinking station,
As it offers droplets of sweet dew
To the bees.
A butterfly is at the door -
The maulsari spreads its fragrance generously,
Like alms to a mendicant!
In such a season,
In the name of your daughters,
Cover my pain
With a layer of sighs.
An old, tired ache
Plays guessing games,
On the paths of my sight.
A sweet, moody separation
Breaks over me,
And eats into my bones.
Unearth a way that I can
Meet my beloved,
And relieve my longing
for a glimpse of her.
Bereft of our beloved,
We infatuated ones,
Are called insane.
There is no one here mother,
Whom I can call my own,
Who will share my pain.
At such a time, without my beloved,
I cannot spend a moment
In your town.
The sun peeks out
From behind the high mountains,
Planting little seedling of light.
Crushes the yellow sunshine
Into small pieces
To make anklets for the mountain tops!
@Shiv Kumar Batalvi
Bereft of our beloved,
We infatuated ones,
Are called insane.
There is no one here mother,
Whom I can call my own,
Who will share my pain.
At such a time, without my beloved,
I cannot spend a moment
In your town.
The sun peeks out
From behind the high mountains,
Planting little seedling of light.
Crushes the yellow sunshine
Into small pieces
To make anklets for the mountain tops!
@Shiv Kumar Batalvi
SYDNEY
In her grey majesty of ancient stone
She queens it proudly, though the sun's caress
Her piteous cheeks, ravished of bloom, confess,
And her dark eyes his bridegroom glance have know.
Robed in her flowing parks, serene, alone,
She fronts the east; and with the tropic stress
Her smooth brow ripples into weariness;
Yet hers the sea for footstool, and for throne
A continent predestined. Round her trails
The turbid squalor of her streets, and dim
Into the dark heat-haze her domes flow up;
Her long lean fingers, with their grey-old nails,
Giving her thirsty lips to the cool brim
Of the bronze beauty of her harbour's cup.
@Arthur Henry Adams
She queens it proudly, though the sun's caress
Her piteous cheeks, ravished of bloom, confess,
And her dark eyes his bridegroom glance have know.
Robed in her flowing parks, serene, alone,
She fronts the east; and with the tropic stress
Her smooth brow ripples into weariness;
Yet hers the sea for footstool, and for throne
A continent predestined. Round her trails
The turbid squalor of her streets, and dim
Into the dark heat-haze her domes flow up;
Her long lean fingers, with their grey-old nails,
Giving her thirsty lips to the cool brim
Of the bronze beauty of her harbour's cup.
@Arthur Henry Adams
ALL THROUGH ETERNITY
All through eternity
Beauty unveils His exquisite form
in the solitude of nothingness;
He holds a mirror to His Face
and beholds His own beauty.
he is the knower and the known,
the seer and the seen;
No eye but His own
has ever looked upon this Universe.
His every quality finds an expression:
Eternity becomes the verdant field of Time and Space;
Love, the life-giving garden of this world.
Every branch and leaf and fruit
Reveals an aspect of His perfection-
They cypress give hint of His majesty,
The rose gives tidings of His beauty.
Whenever Beauty looks,
Love is also there;
Whenever beauty shows a rosy cheek
Love lights Her fire from that flame.
When beauty dwells in the dark folds of night
Love comes and finds a heart
entangled in tresses.
Beauty and Love are as body and soul.
Beauty is the mine, Love is the diamond.
They have together
since the beginning of time-
Side by side, step by step.
@Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi
Beauty unveils His exquisite form
in the solitude of nothingness;
He holds a mirror to His Face
and beholds His own beauty.
he is the knower and the known,
the seer and the seen;
No eye but His own
has ever looked upon this Universe.
His every quality finds an expression:
Eternity becomes the verdant field of Time and Space;
Love, the life-giving garden of this world.
Every branch and leaf and fruit
Reveals an aspect of His perfection-
They cypress give hint of His majesty,
The rose gives tidings of His beauty.
Whenever Beauty looks,
Love is also there;
Whenever beauty shows a rosy cheek
Love lights Her fire from that flame.
When beauty dwells in the dark folds of night
Love comes and finds a heart
entangled in tresses.
Beauty and Love are as body and soul.
Beauty is the mine, Love is the diamond.
They have together
since the beginning of time-
Side by side, step by step.
@Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi
TIDE
“The tide rises, the tide falls,
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea-sands damp and brown
The traveller hastens toward the town, And the tide rises, the tide falls.
Darkness settles on roofs and walls,
But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls;
The little waves, with their soft, white hands,
Efface the footprints in the sands,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls
Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveller to the shore,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.”
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
21 May 2013
SPINNING ROUND AGAIN
We rode a whirlwind of kids and change
With hardly time to catch a breath
Ere time was spinning round again
And loved ones fell to age and death
In disbelief we ask ourselves
"How did minutes turn to years?"
Years exhaled past trembling lips,
Years of joyful days and tears.
Let's stop the rush and linger here
Within this autumn of our lives
Enjoying colors that remain,
Forging paths where love survives.
My precious wife, my valentine,
Your smile still brightens any room
Your eyes still shine their lovely blue
And I am blessed to be your groom!
In spite of foibles, yours and mine,
I don't want to breathe without you
I don't want to find out if I could
Live any kind of life without you.
I love you,
Happy Valentine's Day
2013 by John W Flournoy
With hardly time to catch a breath
Ere time was spinning round again
And loved ones fell to age and death
In disbelief we ask ourselves
"How did minutes turn to years?"
Years exhaled past trembling lips,
Years of joyful days and tears.
Let's stop the rush and linger here
Within this autumn of our lives
Enjoying colors that remain,
Forging paths where love survives.
My precious wife, my valentine,
Your smile still brightens any room
Your eyes still shine their lovely blue
And I am blessed to be your groom!
In spite of foibles, yours and mine,
I don't want to breathe without you
I don't want to find out if I could
Live any kind of life without you.
I love you,
Happy Valentine's Day
2013 by John W Flournoy
13 March 2013
Wisdom for Life’s Journey
Your life is a journey ahead of you.
Each day is a new beginning.
Yesterday is a friend that will guide you.
There will be good times and bad times;
Cherish the good, because they make life sweet,
But be thankful for the bad,
For through them you come to know
The important things in life
And the meaning of life.
There will be times when you face
Difficult decisions,
And you won’t know which way to turn.
The important thing is that you make a choice,
And move forward.
There will be times that test your strength and endurance,
But don’t give up;
Refuse to accept defeat,
For perseverance is the key to success.
there will be times when you are hurt by love.
Forgive those who hurt you
So that your heart will be free to love again.
There will be times when you make mistakes.
Remember that mistakes are not a reflection of your self-worth,
But of your humanity.
Nor do they make you less of a person.
Because of the lessons you’ve learned,
You’ve grown and become wiser.
There will be times when your search for happiness
Leads to frustration and disappointment,
But don’t stop believing in happiness.
Being happy with yourself goes a long way toward
Knowing happiness in your life.
There will be times when life seems unfair,
But don’t allow it to make you bitter
And steal your joy.
Nothing is worth this.
When fear stands in the way of reaching out for your dreams,
Confront them and you will conquer them.
There will be times when your faith is shaken,
But don’t despair,
It will rise up and carry you above the storm and to victory….
Copyright©1996 By Nancye Sims
Each day is a new beginning.
Yesterday is a friend that will guide you.
There will be good times and bad times;
Cherish the good, because they make life sweet,
But be thankful for the bad,
For through them you come to know
The important things in life
And the meaning of life.
There will be times when you face
Difficult decisions,
And you won’t know which way to turn.
The important thing is that you make a choice,
And move forward.
There will be times that test your strength and endurance,
But don’t give up;
Refuse to accept defeat,
For perseverance is the key to success.
there will be times when you are hurt by love.
Forgive those who hurt you
So that your heart will be free to love again.
There will be times when you make mistakes.
Remember that mistakes are not a reflection of your self-worth,
But of your humanity.
Nor do they make you less of a person.
Because of the lessons you’ve learned,
You’ve grown and become wiser.
There will be times when your search for happiness
Leads to frustration and disappointment,
But don’t stop believing in happiness.
Being happy with yourself goes a long way toward
Knowing happiness in your life.
There will be times when life seems unfair,
But don’t allow it to make you bitter
And steal your joy.
Nothing is worth this.
When fear stands in the way of reaching out for your dreams,
Confront them and you will conquer them.
There will be times when your faith is shaken,
But don’t despair,
It will rise up and carry you above the storm and to victory….
Copyright©1996 By Nancye Sims
3 March 2013
THE PATHWAY HOME
Home in Goorawin Road
Orange NSW
Above this state of beingness ...
Beyond the dreams foretold,
Lie the meaning of my visit ...
The purpose of my soul.
Is this a solo journey ...
A quest for me alone,
Or shall a partnership Divine ...
Pave my pathway Home?
The way is not yet crystallized ...
The form not yet unveiled,
But it is sure that Love is meant ...
To launch this ship I sail.
Love in the past was fleeting ...
Each echo there to teach,
It's Love in UNIVERSAL BREADTH ...
That I came here to reach.
Since I have now veered Homeward ...
With steps more swift and clear,
Love's pure song through Spirit ...
My heart can long last hear.
~By Chelle Thompson © 1991
Editor, Inspiration Line
16 January 2013
A Dream Within a Dream
"Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?"
~Edgar Allan Poe~
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?"
~Edgar Allan Poe~
13 January 2013
Desiderata by Max Erhmann
"A poem of peace - truth - spirit - life. How to live at peace with God and your soul in this world."
"You are a child of the universe ..."
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --
[NOTE: "Found in Old St. Paul's Church in 1692]
Photos posted at FB with due credits:
Art photograph by Albarran Cabrera
12 January 2013
Worthwhile
It is easy enough to be pleasant, when life flows by like a song,
But the man worthwhile is one who will smile, when everything goes dead wrong;
For the test of the heart is trouble, and it always comes with the years,
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth is the smile that shines through tears.
It is easy enough to be prudent, when nothing tempts you to stray,
When, without or within, no voice of sin is luring your soul away;
But it’s only a negative virtue until it is tried by fire,
And the life that is worth the honor of earth is the one that resists desire.
By the cynic, the sad, the fallen — who had no strength for the strife,
The world’s highway is cumbered today; they make up the sum of life;
But the virtue that conquers passion, and the sorrow that hides in a smile,
It is these that are worth the homage on earth, for we find them but once in a while.
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850 – 1919)
But the man worthwhile is one who will smile, when everything goes dead wrong;
For the test of the heart is trouble, and it always comes with the years,
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth is the smile that shines through tears.
It is easy enough to be prudent, when nothing tempts you to stray,
When, without or within, no voice of sin is luring your soul away;
But it’s only a negative virtue until it is tried by fire,
And the life that is worth the honor of earth is the one that resists desire.
By the cynic, the sad, the fallen — who had no strength for the strife,
The world’s highway is cumbered today; they make up the sum of life;
But the virtue that conquers passion, and the sorrow that hides in a smile,
It is these that are worth the homage on earth, for we find them but once in a while.
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850 – 1919)
24 December 2012
To Winter
Stay, season of calm love and soulful snows!
There is a subtle sweetness in the sun,
The ripples on the stream's breast gaily run,
The wind more boisterously by me blows,
And each succeeding day now longer grows.
The birds a gladder music have begun,
The squirrel, full of mischief and of fun,
From maples' topmost branch the brown twig throws.
I read these pregnant signs, know what they mean:
I know that thou art making ready to go.
Oh stay! I fled a land where fields are green
Always, and palms wave gently to and fro,
And winds are balmy, blue brooks ever sheen,
To ease my heart of its impassioned woe.
by Claude McKay
There is a subtle sweetness in the sun,
The ripples on the stream's breast gaily run,
The wind more boisterously by me blows,
And each succeeding day now longer grows.
The birds a gladder music have begun,
The squirrel, full of mischief and of fun,
From maples' topmost branch the brown twig throws.
I read these pregnant signs, know what they mean:
I know that thou art making ready to go.
Oh stay! I fled a land where fields are green
Always, and palms wave gently to and fro,
And winds are balmy, blue brooks ever sheen,
To ease my heart of its impassioned woe.
by Claude McKay
AS FOR POETS
As for poets
The Earth Poets
Who write small poems,
Need no help from no man.
The Air Poets
Play out the swiftest gales
And sometimes loll in their eddies.
Poem after poem,
Curling back on the same thrust.
At fifty below
Fuel oil won't flow
And propane stays in the tank.
Fire Poets
Burn at absolute zero
Fossil love pumped back up.
The first
Water Poet
Stayed down six years.
He was covered in seaweed.
The life in his poem
Left millions of tiny
Different tracks
Criss-crossing through the mud.
With the Sun and Moon
In his belly,
The Space Poet
Sleeps.
No end to the sky--
But his poems,
Like wild geese,
Fly off the edge.
A Mind poet
Stays in the house.
The house is empty
And it has no walls.
The poem
Is seen from all sides,
Everywhere,
At once.
by Gary Snyder
The Earth Poets
Who write small poems,
Need no help from no man.
The Air Poets
Play out the swiftest gales
And sometimes loll in their eddies.
Poem after poem,
Curling back on the same thrust.
At fifty below
Fuel oil won't flow
And propane stays in the tank.
Fire Poets
Burn at absolute zero
Fossil love pumped back up.
The first
Water Poet
Stayed down six years.
He was covered in seaweed.
The life in his poem
Left millions of tiny
Different tracks
Criss-crossing through the mud.
With the Sun and Moon
In his belly,
The Space Poet
Sleeps.
No end to the sky--
But his poems,
Like wild geese,
Fly off the edge.
A Mind poet
Stays in the house.
The house is empty
And it has no walls.
The poem
Is seen from all sides,
Everywhere,
At once.
by Gary Snyder
20 December 2012
My Special List
I have a list of folks I know, all written in a book,
And every now and then, I go and take a look;
And that is when I realize that these names are all a part ...
Not of the book they're written in, but of my very heart.
For each name stands for someone who has crossed my path sometime,
And in that meeting they've become the rhythm in each rhyme;
And while it sounds fantastic for me to make this claim,
I really feel that I'm composed of each remembered name.
Though you may not be aware of any special link,
Just meeting you has changed my life, a lot more than you think;
For once I've met somebody, the years cannot erase
The memory of those pleasant words nor of a friendly face.
So please don't think my greeting as just a mere routine,
Your name was not forgotten somewhere in-between;
For when I send a greeting, that is addressed to you,
It's because you are on that list of folks I'm indebted to.
For I am the total of the many folks that I have met,
And you happen to be one of those I prefer not to forget.
So whether I have known you for many years or few,
In some way you have been a part in shaping things I do.
And every year at this time, I realize anew ...
The best gift life can offer is meeting folks like you.
So may the Spirit of this Season, that ever endures,
Leave the richest blessings in the hearts of YOU and YOURS.
~By Helen Steiner Rice 1949 in "Christmas Blessings"
And every now and then, I go and take a look;
And that is when I realize that these names are all a part ...
Not of the book they're written in, but of my very heart.
For each name stands for someone who has crossed my path sometime,
And in that meeting they've become the rhythm in each rhyme;
And while it sounds fantastic for me to make this claim,
I really feel that I'm composed of each remembered name.
Though you may not be aware of any special link,
Just meeting you has changed my life, a lot more than you think;
For once I've met somebody, the years cannot erase
The memory of those pleasant words nor of a friendly face.
So please don't think my greeting as just a mere routine,
Your name was not forgotten somewhere in-between;
For when I send a greeting, that is addressed to you,
It's because you are on that list of folks I'm indebted to.
For I am the total of the many folks that I have met,
And you happen to be one of those I prefer not to forget.
So whether I have known you for many years or few,
In some way you have been a part in shaping things I do.
And every year at this time, I realize anew ...
The best gift life can offer is meeting folks like you.
So may the Spirit of this Season, that ever endures,
Leave the richest blessings in the hearts of YOU and YOURS.
~By Helen Steiner Rice 1949 in "Christmas Blessings"
The Heart of Friendship
True friendship isn't seen with the eyes,
it is felt with the heart,
when there is trust, understanding,
loyalty, and sharing...
True friendship is a rare feeling,
but when it is found,
it has profound impact on
our well-being, strength, and character.
True friendship does not need
elaborate gifts or spectacular events
in order to be valuable or valued.
To ensure long-lasting
quality and satisfaction,
true friendship only needs
a few key ingredients:
Undying loyalty, unmatched understanding,
unsurpassed trust, deep and soulful secrets,
and endless sharing.
These ingredients,
mixed with personality and a sense of humor,
can make a friendship last a lifetime!
This is just a thank you, my friend,
for all the wonderful and colorful
special ingredients
you've brought to my life!
~Author Unknown
Source: The Inspiration Line
it is felt with the heart,
when there is trust, understanding,
loyalty, and sharing...
True friendship is a rare feeling,
but when it is found,
it has profound impact on
our well-being, strength, and character.
True friendship does not need
elaborate gifts or spectacular events
in order to be valuable or valued.
To ensure long-lasting
quality and satisfaction,
true friendship only needs
a few key ingredients:
Undying loyalty, unmatched understanding,
unsurpassed trust, deep and soulful secrets,
and endless sharing.
These ingredients,
mixed with personality and a sense of humor,
can make a friendship last a lifetime!
This is just a thank you, my friend,
for all the wonderful and colorful
special ingredients
you've brought to my life!
~Author Unknown
Source: The Inspiration Line
18 December 2012
A Father's Promise
by Carl Johnson
If you are ill, I will cure you.
I will make you well again.
I will nurse you and ensure you
Have health that will not end.
A house for you I’ll build,
That your mother makes a home.
I will keep it cheerily filled
With a family to call your own.
I will put food on your table,
Wholesome, fresh and hot.
As far as I am able
You will have what I did not.
Should danger try to find you,
I will stand firm in its way.
You can put all fears behind you.
I am with you night and day.
I’ll forever be your Dad.
You can always count on me.
I will never make you sad.
I will keep you safe and free.
And when from this life to the next I go,
I will still guard you every day.
I will ever be you father, you know.
Your Dad will never go away.
If you are ill, I will cure you.
I will make you well again.
I will nurse you and ensure you
Have health that will not end.
A house for you I’ll build,
That your mother makes a home.
I will keep it cheerily filled
With a family to call your own.
I will put food on your table,
Wholesome, fresh and hot.
As far as I am able
You will have what I did not.
Should danger try to find you,
I will stand firm in its way.
You can put all fears behind you.
I am with you night and day.
I’ll forever be your Dad.
You can always count on me.
I will never make you sad.
I will keep you safe and free.
And when from this life to the next I go,
I will still guard you every day.
I will ever be you father, you know.
Your Dad will never go away.
10 December 2012
Our Destiny
Our destiny is not free of hurt and pain,
nor is the goal only in earthly gain.
Our destiny is to find the purpose of God's will,
to expose the lie and live out the real.
Our destiny is in what we were created for,
for the good works of God and so much more.
Our destiny is our choice to walk God's way,
saying yes to His will day by day.
Our destiny was set from the foundation of the earth,
it began to be revealed at the moment of our birth.
Our destiny knows which God we choose,
whether we'll walk in LIFE, or our life lose.
Our destiny is only known fully by God,
its eternal potential revealed as we walk this sod.
Our destiny will carry us through this life's course,
but all that it holds depends on the source.
The destiny of the wicked is destruction,
refusing God, they are the product of their function.
The destiny of the believer, the fullness of God's delight.
He brings them through the darkness to manifest His light.
By Kent Stuck
Source: Facebook, 11 December 2012
nor is the goal only in earthly gain.
Our destiny is to find the purpose of God's will,
to expose the lie and live out the real.
Our destiny is in what we were created for,
for the good works of God and so much more.
Our destiny is our choice to walk God's way,
saying yes to His will day by day.
Our destiny was set from the foundation of the earth,
it began to be revealed at the moment of our birth.
Our destiny knows which God we choose,
whether we'll walk in LIFE, or our life lose.
Our destiny is only known fully by God,
its eternal potential revealed as we walk this sod.
Our destiny will carry us through this life's course,
but all that it holds depends on the source.
The destiny of the wicked is destruction,
refusing God, they are the product of their function.
The destiny of the believer, the fullness of God's delight.
He brings them through the darkness to manifest His light.
By Kent Stuck
Source: Facebook, 11 December 2012
2 December 2012
I LOVED YOU ENOUGH
Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them:
I loved you enough to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to insist that you save your money and buy a bike for yourself even though we could afford to buy one for you.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to make you go pay for the bubble gum you had taken and tell the clerk, "I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it".
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents are not perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all. I am glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
by Erma Bombeck
I loved you enough to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to insist that you save your money and buy a bike for yourself even though we could afford to buy one for you.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to make you go pay for the bubble gum you had taken and tell the clerk, "I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it".
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents are not perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all. I am glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
by Erma Bombeck
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