*<:-) Moon

enigma shimmers
neither contrived nor bestowed
earned phases of ease

the story of this flower's storm

that clear -eyed look
belies the gladness
borne of being an old child
one who knew too much too soon
madness
sweet
melancholy
wild
sadness
touchstones
dancing pounding restless melodies
sing chime chant
(for) this unruly river ( is)
overflowing
into the fierce
tenderness of now

Preposterous....

here is this gift
you
give to me
the chance to write stories
about lives so real
as to be unbelievable
how it is
that strings can vibrate
until they disjoin
the sweetest songs
are hovering
just out of reach
a restless rationality
longs for trembling
rainfall sighs against
a thousand blades of grass
or one
raindrop clings
like a fragile wish
leans into a hopeful sway
gives rise
to almost
unbearable tenderness
dwells in asking
for the chance
to write stories
you give me
this
gift
you give me
you give
you

Patter

Imagine a huge conglomerate educational corporation whose purpose seems to be processing knowledge containers as if they were meat patties. Let's call it a university. Imagine all the people that might inhabit such a place. Let's call them professors, staff, students and senior administrators. Imagine several fiefdoms organized under a feudal system with hegemonic overlords wielding centralized and de-centralized power. Let's call them Faculties and Deans. Imagine that all these people --deans, senior administrators, staff, professors, students--lead busy, complex, textured, contingency driven lives. Let's call that being human. Imagine some of these humans as trauma survivors who manage post traumatic stress disorder on a day to day basis; imagine that these survivors know that triggers are inevitable in a place like this. Let's call that proactively forming a support network. That's the set up. Now... imagine this...

Melody arives at Milly's door. Milly's got two students but Melody has that wild look so Milly knows she has to take a walk. Hang in there, I'll be back in a few minutes she says to the two gals who exchange puzzled glances but seem willing to tolerate the oddness. Some days Milly seems like just another regular person and then right out of the blue these totally whacked things happen and students and colleagues alike begin to think that maybe there's a dark well there somewhere.... but it never lasts long. Milly's efficient as hell and Melody knows it... that's why she's here...
they talk and walk; it's a long corridor and it leads to doors that go outside and it's a nice day out there... Melody says she was ok until that asshole put the jarofbullsemen on her desk and asked her to pack it up for shipping...just like that... this is not supposed to happen in a department like this Melody sobs... geez, it's not biology ... if I go back and it's still there do you think it's ok for me to, like, leave ... ? like , just go...
why not says Milly you can't be packing up stuff like that Melody wimpers I know... if it breaks I'm going to have to scald myself to get it off me...Milly holds up the halt hand -- Just leave; that's the best option.
they walk until their breathing is regular. I'm Ok now Melody says, if that jerk hasn't packed it up himself I 'm leaving . Milly nods slowly. That's a plan. They look each other in the eye. Melody smiles... got a story? she asks... Milly does not have to dig too deeply for this one. Did I ever tell you about finding that boxofrectalthermometers in Marylou's office....

Sabbatical

here is the feather bed
its seductive imperative
fling myself with wild abandon
i(o)nto its pillowy depths
& awaken
refreshed in six months

presupposes that rest
is the solution
to a problem of meaning
no sleep is enough

my relief is not
mere performance
it is felt
bone deep
knowing
the ground has shifted
I cannot unring the bell
nor would I want to

tell you what... I'll keep
disclosing
earning your respect & regard
the carnal ground of
this trust we share
means everything
to me

Grateful

you have watched me
run
with rage as fuel
for long enough to wonder
if there is any
hope
left in the
well...
There is.

... and within this sweet twilight
a fire burns bright

Dragonfly

did you know that the dragonfly is one of the few ( and perhaps the only?)
creature(s) who can function
in air on land in/on water
that it can fly forwards & backwards
hover and dance
that its wings can hum and sing
are transparent & iridescent

that it might be that it once was
a dragon...
that as tough and versatile as it is
it has no sting
the old soul re-born in the body of now
I see you in your many elements

word
magic
thought
spinner of tales and fire
teacher poet learning dwelling

no wonder you have such an affinity for these
not so distant relatives
dance on...