Celebration

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

When storm clouds gather to darken my way
I search for light beams with which to play.
Delightful birdsong changes my mood
as melancholy is being subdued.

I seek the brightest stars by night
and turn my dial from gloom to bright.
To greet the moon with ecstasy
is to relish love’s intensity.

I’ve let my woes be tossed away
with butterflies; in bold arrays.
To walk on delicate earthen floors
a lover of nature, my soul adores.

I repose in silence beneath the trees,
radiance alights on forgiving breeze.
Gentle turf prompts me to forget
my grumblings and deep regrets.

I smell the fragrant, vivacious flowers
and silently praise for hours and hours.
Ever watchful as foliage vibrates
permitting joy to resonate.

I splash in crystal reservoirs
and make my bed beneath the stars
Formed from dust by heavenly swarms,
I dance in light through somber storms.

©2017

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Lessons from the fire

“Where there is ruin, there is hope for a treasure.”
― Jalaluddin Rumi

An ailing soul
absorbed by fear

Her past consumed
with morbid years

Future bleak
all hope devoid

Life no longer
being enjoyed

 Powerlessness taught
her surrender

The touch of nature
healing and tender

 In gratitude she
welcomed each day

Mindfulness melted
despair away

Accepting at last
what life had given

Reflections of love
her true religion

A Power greater
restored her to sanity

The divine within
became her reality

Sacred shifts in her
heart and mind

 Her inner being
was redesigned

 

©2017

Trance

“Soul, if you want to learn secrets,
your heart must forget about
shame and dignity.
You are God’s lover,
yet you worry
what people
are saying.”
― Jalaluddin Rumi, The Essential Rumi

The night birds call
my soul from sleep.
Upon my bed
ruminations creep.
Shame disturbs
my careful rest.
Surreal twilight
my hopes bereft.

I journey from
my soul’s abode.
Dark umbra realms,
where shadows strode.
Soporific daze,
voiceless chords,
darkened trance,
somber forms.
Illusions displayed
in transient fears.
I awaken dazed,
insensate clears.

Lucid impressions
render sight.
From obscurity
into beams of light.
Dewy eyed,
luminous tears.
Dread extinguished
tenebrosity clears.
Abundant stars
replete with radiance
delighted by the moon’s
acquaintance.
Coherent thoughts
return to view.
Penetrating lightness
I do pursue!

©2017

The Forest:A Haiku

Dancing in light beams
with translucent undergrowth
fragrant mists aglow

In Memory of Gloria

“Embracing a healing presence requires you to just be in the moment together.”
― Nancy L. Kriseman

I thought of you today.
I thought of how we used to sit together
at the market,
and talk nonchalantly about the weather.
Sometimes we would silently sit and watch people go by.
I thought of how you had forgotten your entire life,
you had even forgotten who your children were.
Sometimes your blue eyes would sparkle
when you remembered something small.
You still laughed at your husband’s silly jokes.
You loved pancakes sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
Your mind had forced you to give up earthly possessions,
it had forced you to forget the past
and have no anxiety for the future.
Only being present mattered.
You were so bright and cheery those final months
before the disease took you…
Your divine nature shone out of you.
Perhaps you were just living in the moment.
It was a terrible burden for your family to bear,
they lost you too soon.
Sweet Gloria,
you taught me how to just be present!

The Soul of Africa

Distant drums pulsate a beat.
Tones of praise on breathless air.
Hadedas cannot compete.
Voices collide in fervent prayers.

Her land occupies heroes’ dreams.
Fiery hearts do quicken.
Struggle won and hope redeemed.
Many brave were stricken.

Her voice is soft as morning light,
when sunshine comes in view.
A turtle dove on winged flight
when blessings are renewed.

The rivers vibrate in reverie.
Her oceans breathe abundance.
The African soul of humanity,
forgiveness being her substance.

Past atrocities lament,
her lands are stained with crimson.
Heartache was her soul’s descent
affliction had dominion.

The ancestor’s cries ring out
o’er hills and mountainous regions.
From bushveld vistas devout
may liberation have allegiance!

Suffering was in soulful supply.
Equality must take residence!
The voices of *Ubuntu arise
and peace will be her inheritance.

She is of beauty deeply ingrained.
Her people are her legacy.
Her glory forever is proclaimed
so celebrate her endlessly.

*Ubuntu; A quality that includes the essential human virtues; compassion and humanity.

©2017

Gravity

“Falling didn’t bother me. I could fall forever and not be hurt. It’s stopping that’s the problem.”
― Ann Leckie, Ancillary Justice

Oh no, I did it!
I went spinning.
I tripped on an empty space!
Perhaps that void
I talk about too much!
I fell to the ground.
My life flashed before me!
I thought of all the things I had yet to do;
“Conquer poverty,
clean up pollution,
stand for world peace”
No really!!!
I’m not that noble!
It was more like;
“The shower still needs silicone
you fool
and you haven’t cleaned the
wardrobes out yet!”

Like a slow motion movie
my body was falling
but my thoughts were like lightening
flashing through my brain.
I wondered
as the nanoseconds ticked by
and the hard ground
was getting closer
how it could be
that I was letting gravity
take me down.
What had I tripped on?
I didn’t really care
about Sir Isaac Newton’s
law of gravity.
In that moment
I wished he had been wrong
or that I lived on the moon!

In the distance
while I was still falling
I saw
a kind face moving towards me
also in slow motion.
Not running to catch me
like I would have hoped he would.
I could read his thoughts
from a distance;
“Oh if I were Sir Galahad
I would run to save her
maybe even gallop on my trusty steed,
and catch her before
she hits the ground
with such terrible force.”
Kind words I hardly remember
comforted me
as I got up
and dusted myself off
and walked away.
I was confident
that I could withstand the pain.
I did wonder at the time
how many thoughts
are contained in just one second?

Now I sit here, typing with one finger.
Thankful, that it’s only my pride
that’s bruised
and maybe my shoulder and thigh.
Ok, my writing hand as well!
I’m alive,
a little out of balance,
a little shaken
somewhat stirred,
but I’m still whistling through the universe
gazing at stars
listening to the sweet sound of birds
smelling the fragrant air
and reading your lovely blog posts!

P.S. That was on Monday and I’m on the mend, typing with two fingers now! 🙂

 

Remembering Sharpville

A massacre on the streets
69 unarmed
people killed.
Mowed down by police.
Automatic weapons
fired into the crowd.
Women and children died.
A peaceful protest
against the inhumane pass laws.
The dompas*

In Sharpville
many shot in the back
when the crowd dispersed.
Thousands arrested.
The world watched.
Anti-apartheid sentiment grew.
Your sacrifice was not in vain.
57 years have passed.
We remember you.
We mourn you.
We grieve for those you left behind
who bear the scars of injustice.
Rest in Peace

*The “Dompas” otherwise known as the dumb pass or reference book;

The pass laws act of 1952 required all black South African men and women to carry reference books containing their personal details. The law stated that anyone found in a public area without their book would be arrested and detained for 30 days.