Monthly Archives: June 2023

More Light than Darkness

By Posted in Poetry Tagged , Leave a comment 
once i knew everything
i needed to know
about the source of light and love

   
then i would have been
bewildered by those
who paused to celebrate
the summer solstice

today i sat in silence
with my face turned
toward the sun
and simply breathed
  
now i have more questions
than answers
but this i know for certain


more hope than doubt
more love than fear
more trust than cynicism
more peace than hate
more acceptance than despair
more grace than judgment
more light than darkness
   
that is worth breathing in
that is worth celebrating
no matter how you
understand the source

Happy Solstice!

Originally written on the Summer Solstice, June 20, 2012 and published on the blog I had back then.

The Puzzle

By Posted in Poetry, Written a long time ago Tagged Leave a comment 
little pieces of my life
one for you and one for you
and on and on it goes
'til one for ...
there should be one left for me

one piece is missing
the puzzle's incomplete

each person has a part of me
each person sees a different piece
strong for one
vulnerable for another
laughing and silly for someone
quiet and serious ofr someone else
no one person sees the whole

'cuase pieces are still missing
the puzzle's incomplete

one piece holds it all together
one piece defines the meaning of the rest
everything falls apart
if that one piece is lost

According to my notebook, I wrote this on March 22, 1993 — twenty years before I had any conscious clue what that puzzle piece might be, what part of me was missing and hidden even from myself.

I don’t remember the specific context and unlike much of what I wrote then, when I left myself notes about why I wrote it, I didn’t with this one. I wish I had.

What I do remeber is that I was a few short weeks before finishing my undergraduate degree and life was complicated and I felt pulled in so many directions. As much as I can look back now and see one piece that was clearly missing, I know the friendship dynamics that were going on then and I’m sure it was more about that, but also …

There clearly was a piece that was hidden and wouldn’t be found for a long, long while.

Which is more disturbing?

By Posted in Poetry Tagged , , , , Leave a comment 
Rainbow coloured outlines
Painted in the square
Bodies sprawled out
Cut down in the midst of life
Holding hands
Clinging to one another
Around a globe
Only
Two simple words
Remember Orlando
Watching countless people
Walk straight across
Eyes averted
Or unaware of
Horror represented
Under their feet

I don’t know
When it appeared
Maybe they’ve seen it
Everyday and grown
Accustomed
Maybe they only see
Rainbow colours
Leftover Pride graffiti
Nothing to see here

I see it today for the first time
My heart weeps
Lives cut short by hate
I stop
Pause
Remember
Reflect

My heart weeps more
I know there is much
Since that horrible night
I know we can’t hold
Everything
Our lives would be
Overwhelmed

But the lack of care
To realize some
Almost certainly
Counts themselves as allies
Their Pride duty done

To hear a parent ignore
A child’s question
Hey look! What is this?
Their response
Hurry the child along
I understand protecting
Innocence
But at what cost?
White hetero-normative appearing
Twenty-something couple
Pauses to look
A sliver of my faith restored
Until
Traffic slows
Their words clear
In the silence

Okay. I know some people died, but
Do we really need to have this
Everywhere?

I sit back down
I write
I take photographs
Knowing they are not
For me
I will not forget
But much of the world will

First published on my old blog on August 3, 2016.

For my friend, who doesn’t sleep much

By Posted in Poetry, Prayers for my friend Tagged , Leave a comment 
I will never know 
what you see in your mind
as you try to close your eyes 
for sleep
meant to be restful
but so often not

but as my eyes close 
from the comfort of my pillow
I quietly say your name
in hope
as a prayer
as a wish
just maybe
this night will be different

that when you finally allow
your eyes to close 
you will find
love holding you
knowing you 
accepting all of who you are
forgiving the things
you want to but don't yet
believe can be forgiven

that when exhausted 
you finally succumb to sleep
you will find
unexpected peace
deep refreshment
restoration from
exhaustion to
wholeness