One Life

We have but one body

One voice

One life

One time upon

This earth

No matter

If you think

That we

Come back again

Or float among pearly clouds

Or dissolve into dust and atoms

There is no question 

But the answer

Only now 

Only here 

Find your voice 

There is one

Under the many

Your gift to the world

And to yourself

Push, pull, allow, reveal, learn, try, experiment, dig deep

But

Do not copy anyone, anymore

For it is your voice 

That wants to be heard 

Above the notifications and alarms

Find your voice

Sing, yell, whisper, paint, dance, write

But find your voice

And

Offer it to me.

Great Spirit

Great Spirit full of grace

All creation flows through thee. 

Blessed art thou by our actions and

Blessed is thy power

To heal and create all things anew.  

Holy Mother-Father,

Source of love and light,

Grant us your wisdom, power and fearlessness,

Now, and in all aspects of our lives. 

Amen

The Lie

What is this lump 

In my belly

A small nag

An irritation 

Why does it feel off

When you talk

Like a bad recipe

I'm trying to eat

To be polite

Is it me

Or does this taste funny?

Like moldy cheese

Or a cake with too much salt.

Oh

You're full of shit

Such a telling phrase

Did I get some on my shoe? 

I smell it

Is it coming out of your mouth? 

Excuse me

Did you know

That when you opened your mouth

A big piece fell out?

There is is again. 

Now it's on my shoe

I think i'll go home 

And clean it off. 

Time

Restless sleep filled with dreams I can't remember 

Time rushes by like a businessman downtown

Unaware of my need for connection, direction

Never looking up from his phone while he takes long, deliberate strides across the street.

I wonder where you're going,  Mr Time. 

Don't stop for no one, not even me. 

Can it be? Year 53?

Restless sleep interrupted. Dreamt I was flying, then I was falling, a baby dying, my mother callin. 

Mr.Time, take your time. I need more time, slow time, no time. 

For quietness

And listening, so I can hear the voice within. 

Mr.Time, you seem to slow, put down your phone and take some notice. 

I feel my direction, my connection and you see me,  

I feel you see me

And time is now my friend that has no end. 

No time. 

Raven Speaks

Come to me, young ones.

Bring me your fears and your suffering.

You cannot see the horizon from the ground and there are mountains of experience that obscure your view.

But I can see.

Fly with me

With the wings of your soul

And I will show you the wisdom of the winds,

The purpose of the tides

And the reason for death and for living.

Do not be afraid to fly.

Spread your wings and follow me,

Join the Raven Clan and together we will find the Truth.

Together in the great, living sky.

We will fly.

Unafraid.

Together.

Thanks to all who came to stand with us in San Francisco for real American values of love, inclusion and social justice.  

The Room Grew Cold

What made me think

About your name

To look you up

And find out you were gone? 

We shared a secret love

Of memories held deep

Tears offered by candle light

Open hearted

In a warm room

while winter fell

Outside. 

We stayed warm and naked

In that quilted bed

Hiding from the world

Clinging to the hope  

That we would never

Have to leave

Like an addict hopes

The high will never end. 

But the day came

To open the door

and when I stepped outside

It was over

The candle had burned down

And the room grew cold. 

We stayed connected

For a long time. 

You never used that brilliant mind

Not really

You never grew into the man

You were afraid to be. 

You died instead

At 52. 

Bless the soul of Tim Emswiler, one of the smartest most sensitive people I ever knew.  You were a loyal friend. May you do in the next life, what went undone in this.

You know me

My friend

Family of choice

Sister of my heart

Companion of my soul 

30 years. 

You know me, 

That is good, but more than that

You grow me

Like mulch around a tree.  

You help me hold life's water and satiate my thirst

For being seen. 

You were there

When he lied to me

We made lasagna

For New Years

and the winter windows were wet from happy people laughing at our party. 

You were at my wedding

And the baptism of my first child.

We grow wrinkles together

And drink tea.

Years pass between cups that feel like days.

I love days with my friend, the sister of my heart. 

May we have many days

Before we are through with this life,

Before we are done growing,

Before we drink our final cup.

Women Rise

Women rise

From your comfortable beds

From your bleached blond heads

From your he said, she said.

Women rise

We need to hear your voice

We need to make some noise  

So we can have some choice

For the future

Women rise

Don't try to be a man

We need a feminine plan

You know together we can

Change the future. 

Women rise  

It's time to take a stand  

Hand in hand

To save our land

From the greed of man

Save the future. 

Women rise

To our God's we pray  

For strength and courage today

To have strong words to say

Speak truth to power or pay

With our future

Women Rise

The time is here

To leave the ocean of tears

And outgrow our fears

Of a thousand years

Make the future

Women Rise

Sing the songs of love

Praise the Lord above

Descending like a dove

On the future

Women rise

in equality

It's up to you and me

We can't sit quietly

Don't leave our destiny

Build the future

Women rise

Save the future

Tree of Unhappiness

My own unhappiness
Like a raven
calling
from the skeleton
of a cold winter tree.
I hear it cawing,
Harsh,

Repeating

A black spot

Sitting on the branches of my heart.

Hatred

Unprepared I listen

Open like a mug waiting for a warm drink

To fill it up

But when the words come

they are shards of ice

Not English breakfast tea.

They cut me before I realized

That I should flip my mug

Like a wine glass turned over, to be pulled from the linen tablecloth by a waiter with a bow tie.

None for me tonight. 

Thank you. 

But I was unprepared for your hatred

splattered like gang graffiti on some poor grocer's window.

Defacing the glass with illegible letters meaning nothing to anyone  

but the bitter and hateful

Like you. 

Black Spot

My own unhappiness
Like a raven
calling
from the skeleton
of a cold

winter tree. 

I hear it cawing,
Harsh, repeating
a black spot sitting

on the branches

of my heart.

Death, My Friend

The edge is always there.

An abyss we will all fall into

Or leap

Or step with silent intention

One day. 

If I look over into the chasm of the great unknown

Everyday

Curiosite replaces fear

And I can listen with my body

To the wisdim of Death. 

The Grim Reaper

Becomes  

The Angel of Death. 

And when I jump or fall or step with my intention

She catches me

Like a child tossed in the air

And hugs my soul

Home.