Whirlpools of Silence

By This Old Wall

Men and women gather here to be alone within themselves
Some cry, some weep red tears
Some connect with perfect strangers, touch, go away together
No one knows why
By this old wall
But I too feel the melancholy
The utter hopelessness
I call the wall
Some people drop coins and bills
Some ask for help
But everyone feels
what they need most in life
And are left alone to weep

Knowing I’m Not the Only One

We were playing with her little dog outside
who took my treats at a distance,
nervous and fearful of me
“It takes a long time for her to warm up and trust anyone”
I laughed, “I’m like that too”
She whispered “Me too”
And we looked at each other and smiled at this big truth shared,
over such a little thing, feeling a little less out of place
in the world
Sometimes so strange in my own skin trying to understand
why I am the way I am,
Often not meeting my own expectations
about how I should be
Knowing I’m not the only one

Languish

Her entire day “spent in my pajamas, and I’m not going to leave the house even once”
I smiled, ready to leave her at the door, saying “I love you” after our weekend together
Languishing away half a day talking about poetry contests and new books in process, delightful in a way, but too much to do in two lifetimes or more
Next weekend we spend at the ocean wandering around, staying on the river where it goes out to sea, watching the big ocean going ships come and go, making love, playing cards, relaxing into each other’s company
I’m thankful to be me in this huge world of yours, with one special one to love and love me too, as we languish happily away together…

A Ridiculous Man

Praying for good weather to work outside
Jobs that pay
A loving woman, peace with her
Asking God for so much
Pretending deep concern for other beings
Wanting sincerely to be this way
Getting up in the morning, thinking, always thinking
Late at night his favorite time of day
Sleeping, silent, mind peaceful
Soul at rest, dreaming
There are beautiful sunny calm waking moments
Wrapped in love, grateful to live, alive
Lazy heartfelt moments that quench his thirsty soul
Give hope and life something back
Those thank you moments that go down
In life’s journal of prayers, sacred
Moments even a ridiculous man treasures
When we walk with Great Spirit hand in hand, equally

Whirlpools Of Silence
downstream where the
river bends sharply
and the rapids run out
there are whippoorwills
and geese, ducks, beaver
and deer come to drink
there are little whirlpools
and eddies where the river
plays and birds congregate
to mate
whirlpools of silence
eddy here at first light
I come here then
to listen to the silence
condense into morning
as the stars fade away
no longer bright, time slows
to a trickle, holding all the
world in one long still moment
of peace until overtaken by
the day
we are all equal now
our mother earth’s children
I wish we could stay this way