For Bede
(2014)
For my love of 36 years
The many places I have been And countless faces I have seen, The many tales to be told, Into the universe, they unfold. It’s all a passing show,
In the bright moments My mind is a flame, Melting obstacles, Gaining gifts of wisdom. In the dark moments
The white snow, thin Like sand, over The fields, blowing Across the road. My car rambles
Rolling painted deserts of the west. Shrub bushes dot sloping hillsides. Relentless sun heats up
Inhale, the arms float up, Exhale, the arms float down, Namaste, at the heart. Inhale, the body bends, Hands at top of mat,
My heart is a good heart, It beats strongly And works hard, To keep me alive. My mind is a good mind,
Lately, a sadness pervades, I mourn for youth, perhaps passion of younger days. With age, some of that passion
Driving through the small towns of America, children of all colors playing in the streets, some with tattered clothes
Life is not fair at times... But of course things Change quickly down the line, We are born into a No guarantee world.
It’s a billion stars moving and co… While we sleep. It’s one miracle after another and… We do not take the leap. It’s the great heave of nature
At that magical time When the yellow moon Sets, And the pink mist Of dawn,
The dance of fear, Of not being enough, Stops and starts. The unknown, an Uncharted sea,
When I sit And watch The in and out Of breath, Thoughts no longer
Last night I dreamt that I floated above the clouds, above the earth and my heart
Memories of my childhood Visit more and more Each day, As ghosts of past relatives Cast their shadows,