Category: Poetry

Not so long ago the world was wide open, though it wasn’t so for me.

Not so long ago people were open, affectionate, though it wasn’t so for me.

Not so long ago quarantine was an abstract, though it wasn’t so for me.

Eight long years the world was closed to me while my heart lay widely bared alone.

Eight long years my door was bereft of shadow, no visitors, knocks & no doorbell tone.

Eight long years I’ve lived this life you’ve tasted, these walls & wards are all I’ve known.

Too long has life been small & quiet…shutdown. But, now it is so for all.

Too long have I langoured abandoned & ailing. But, now it is so for all.

Too long have I been confined by circumstance. Alas, now it is so for all.

There was an atmosphere of division there was an atmosphere of hate.

There was an atmosphere of violence so we walked in protest disregarding fate.

The atmosphere was oppressively thick and kept us hiding in our homes.

The atmosphere which plagues us; we just weren’t prepared for the blows.

The atmosphere of violence made us finally ask “Who do we want to be?”.

The atmosphere of division reflected a virus in our systems that just…wouldn’t…leave.

Then there was an atmosphere of Hope that all would wash clean in the end.

Our political & financial atmospheres must avoid breaking by learning to bend.

Our social contract’s atmosphere is frayed but the golden thread pattern stays true.

Changing these stagnate atmospheres will take a little from me & also from you.

Life has left me Old before my time. Nothing more than a collection of memories, thoughts & rhymes.

Love has left me Wilting while I bloom. A lifetime of abdications & abandonments have settled to dusty unused gloom.

Time has left me roughed up & wise. Dealing me blows to toughen me up…to make me rigid against the world’s lies.

Circumstance has left me bereft & bare. My struggle is my own. There’s been no line at my door to give it any care.

Humanity has left me bewildered & lost. Singularly talented artists of love & hate…Gladly disseminating to others the cost.

I know that Hope & Faith can exist within me I just don’t know in who or what.

A spark took hold in Christendom & filled a reservoir of Hope & Faith

That was drained from me by elders of Christian hate.

Three sparks took hold in India & Tibet. They burned brightly in my hungry imagination.

As much as I read to feed the spark, I never found a mentor with means for my instruction.

A spark came to me in tarot. One burst into existence from runes.

My own cerebration and secular science leanings binarily turned down my swoon.

Another spark came to me in blood, dirt & sea water.

My shaman made much room for superstition doubt & fear. So, inevitably I falter.

I have Doubt & Hope…I’m afraid I’ve lost my Faith…oh, definitely my Religions

No, I hold no strand of belief in Hell, the Devil & his Demons.

Now I’m in ‘religious recovery’ tending a garden & more peace the Bible never gave me.

There’re prayers I know that I recite to quell doubt & feel safety.

I know that Hope & Faith can exist within me I just don’t know in who or what.

Though, believing the facts & listening to experts is a pretty damn good start.

I sleep with hope around my neck.

I sleep with hope; just a small fleck.

I sleep with hope hung on chain with clasp.

I sleep with hope as it’s always within grasp.

I sleep with hope in a trinket filled with scent as a reminder.

It works & I have never given myself any gift that came close to kinder.

A laden coffin bloomed for me & I knew total peace.

So, I want it written my wishes for when I finally am deceased.

Bury me in linen wrappings no box or basket will suit better than Earth for me.

If you burn me, muddy me up in a drip-castle to be washed away by the sea.

Once you’ve planted me in family ground give me a gravestone and a seat.

Let it etch the usual details but end it with “I am listening…have a seat.”

Bring blooming bulbs for my rectangle & plant one for each time you see me.

Bulbs with blooms for all seasons will naturally light the way for me.

A laden coffin bloomed for me and I knew total peace.