Directing My Self

Being responsible 

does not mean 

I am culpable.

When I am unhappy 

with my soul, my body,

it must be 

a case of 

mistaken identity.

I will be kind

to my spirit,

give myself

the care

I deserve.

Current Events

When you see me cry,

it does not necessarily mean

I need help. 

Sometimes, pure beauty

has that result in me,

the glory of innocents

who do not think

they should stop trying

to improve the world.

As for me,

whatever future

I am trying to shape

shapes me in return,

sometimes tearfully.

I will continue to

seek magic,

look for legerdemain,

believing the solutions we need

lie only in those realms.

But also, I will look

to my heart,

posit my soul’s purpose,

light another candle,

pen just one more plea.

What Else

Even when the clouds weep,

or the earth cries out in pain,

it is possible

to love throughout the day,

to find joy midst the suffering.

Walking through our world,

it is possible

for every living soul

to express their innate wisdom.

Acting as harmlessly

as we know how to be,

it is possible for each of us

to practice radical humility.

No matter our circumstances,

it is possible

to shed anger and hate,

to smother them with

charity, sympathy, tenderness,

benevolence, compassion.

Whatever our needs,

it is possible

to notice that what is convenient for us

is perhaps inconvenient for others.

Regardless of time,

It is possible

to slow down,

walk more slowly on the earth,

be healing and strong,

rejoice in the day.

It is possible.

What else are days for?

For New Readers

the short pieces you will see in my blog are part of an effort by my friends throughout the poetic world to express ourselves daily, using 17 syllables...not necessarily Haiku, but sometimes it turns out that way...we also write 14 Words for Love, daily, between 2/1 and 2/14...and, rather than write New Year’s resolutions, we pick a word which expresses hoe and who we wish to be in the coming year...my first one was Gratitude, last year’s was Generosity, this year’s is Compassion...I was going to be cute and keep the “G”thing going, with Grace, but I know that I am always living in Grace, and the world really could stand some more Compassion right now

Mid-February

We can’t keep doing 

what we want. We need to start 

doing what we must

—————————————

I wonder 

what it was 

I was worried about 

last year on this date.

—————————————

Seeing the sun 

peek over the hills,

feeling the world awaken.

Ahhhh...

————————————-

I choose to nurture

seeds of understanding and

compassion. Pure joy.

————————————

We “own” our home.

Do we really?

Half a million dollars

says no way.

———————————-

A house of wood,

caulk, paint, nails,

becomes a home,

only because of you.

———————————

Compassion without borders.

This sounds like a fine concept,

don’t you think?

———————————-

Please don’t ask me to march

for peace or social justice.

Bone spurs, you know.

———————————

When I mix

talent with love,

I do anticipate 

a miracle.

——————————-

Becoming Super-man

I feel

an urgency

to get moving.

I have someone

to be.

——————————

If my words offend you,

please forgive me.

My filters fail me,

sometimes.

——————————

My thoughts are like clouds.

They are just passing by, and

some look like bunnies.

——————————

My curiosity empowers me.

I prefer interest to fear.

Bliss

Perfection

If I could paint a masterpiece,
you’d be in it,
and all of our dogs and cats, too,
and it would be a perfect day,
with green grass, bright flowers,
a sky of blue.
If I could paint the perfect picture,
there’d be no frustrations,
no conflict, certainly no pain,
no fast leap to being old folks,
no, we’d be fresh and young again..
Can you imagine a day so perfect?
I can, reflecting on the day
that you were sent my way.
I can imagine that day so perfect
with the peace of the mythic dove.
It’s easy for me, you know, since
I am always with the one I love.
Can you imagine a day so perfect,
a valentine in every way,
where all we need is each other.
Today is such a day.

Early February

Choosing empathy

as a byword, 
we first choose

to care for ourselves.

————————

I find that 
when I smile, 
people smile back.

Everyone. 
Always.

——————————-

It's a sacred and 

perfect moment 
when I love myself 
as I am.

———————

When, in history,

has one person

not been enough

for what’s needed.

———————-

If one thinks

themselves religious (or not),

one can still pray.

They’ll be heard.

————————

When walking,

I go slow, observe.

Quite Zen.

Of course, I’m also 

quite old.

——————————

Today, I seek balance.

Too much 

might just be

too much.

Excess, be gone.

——————————

With compassion, I think,

my, what an unhappy man

he seems to be.

———————-

My entire life,

every part,

was building up to

this moment.

Oh boy!

———————-

I don’t ask haters

to explain themselves. I think

they’d just feel clever.

———————

How’d I get to be me?

With a few false starts,

but eventually...

———————-

I find amazing prizes

right in the open,

no struggling at all.

———————

I am trying to say

beautiful things,

to inspire, to help,

be kind.

———————

There’s no more choosing

to stand on the sidelines.

There just are no sidelines.