I live in the dark

I said.

Then I opened my eyes to the dark,

The shadows of variation,

The all-around-ness to me.

A black I could come to depend on.

And I found myself in the dark.

I live under ice

I said.

Then I lifted my eyes to the ice

The crystals and gleaming striations,

The over-ness always to me.

A cold I could always be sure of.

And I saw myself in the ice.

I live within chaos

I said.

Then my eyelids floated away.

My body dissolved and my knowledge.

And I only dreamt about love.

 Did you show your children the stars?,

Accuser said.

Not enough! Not enough!

Let me show them galaxies

only so that they may recognize infinity

when they see my love.

It is so hard to go for a walk. 

On a restful couch

With a spellbinding book

And a warm fleecy blanket,

The idea daunts.

To put on

thick socks

sweater

ear muffs

snow pants

boots

parka

scarf

mitts.

But you do.

And the mirror as you step out the door says

You are no longer a slouch on a couch

But a walker of woods at C 15 below,

A cruncher of snow

A strider of silence.

Oh where can't you go!

 I think I saw some solitude out there.

Looking out the window of this crowded house

I saw it in the distance,

Slipping through the trees.

A thing of beauty calling to me,

Kin creature to my core.

I'm not far from the door.

So out I go in silence

Walking far and walking forest,

And in the company of no one,

Find the companion I looked for.

A good friend

spoke with anger

of another friend,

words slightly violent in nature.

(In my mind I cried out

"But that is my friend

you are talking about!")

I held my peace

and listened to my friend.

Because people are evil, she said,

A small sad laugh, bowed her head.

I couldn't quite follow, though I saw her path,

The dark passes where she'd been led.

But for the love

I would follow, I would.

Because of the love,

The world tips to the good.

Though I die, though I ache,

I vow to try to live awake

To the power of love.

May it overtake.

Sometimes I have the sense to keep still.

I find myself wanting to answer,

but stay in the silence of listening.

Her pain is too large to console,

so I stay by her side and attend.

No words can make this better.

And later alone

with my pain

in the dark

I wonder

Does God sometimes have the sense to keep still?

Stones Stay

Stones stay.

Trees fall,

Winds blow away.

Rocks remain, stones stay.

Friends fade, faces vanish,

All white turns to grey.

All black turns its back,

But stones stay.

My words will disappear,

Every word that you say,

All we remember is doomed to disintegrate.

Stones stay.

Stars fall,

Moons roll away.

My heart, turned to stone, may stay.

What I Took

Ah, yesterday I took I took a lovely soaking bath,

a walk, a look, a breath,

a glass of wine, a needed break,

a book from off a shelf;

a picture, time to smell a rose,

a hike, a moment, a nap.

At night I took me to my bed to rest from all the taking,

to ready me to take on life again upon awaking.

A Walk in Fall

And shall I die

And leave this world?

And pass away?

(I walk on leaves,

The woods pass by)

And shall I pass

From here to where?

(Leaves fall from trees

That used to wear

Green garments now discarded)

And shall I someday see?

This world and I have parted.