Silent Salutations

Our days are filled with silent salutations

as our nights wander on to tomorrow's shore

dreams lap at the edge of desparation

as hope promises an ever open door

dragonwell fills my yi-xing pot

as aromatic steam curls in lofty streams

making me, for a moment, forget the grey

no insinuations, pretense, nor enigmatic dreams

the landscape is awash with black and white

on a breeze floats a harbinger of days ahead

whispering of how mistakes can wither and drop dead from their vines

to nurture the wise and give such sweet reprise to those who still believe.

Tanpopo

One sip

of genmai

life becomes

a beautiful sigh

nothing now exists

but a

steaming bowl

of soba

spicy tuna rolls

and a kind

of kindred peace

that makes tolerable

the troubles of the day.

Confluence

When the Truth stands before you

all else melts into a solemn nothingness

an easy calm settles down upon your soul

and wraps you tightly in the

beauty of each moment

what once seemed all-important

can never again regain its luster

you will not only believe in miracles

but you will know them to be true

for at long last, you once again found you

Memories of the Sun

I am wrapped in a damp Autumn bleakness

as the sun walks away from us

an ancient journey that must be traveled once again

but I will hold fast in my memory the days

with it seem close enough to pull from the sky

and whisper to

I remember each moment it warmed us

and all the days we squinted

as it danced broad along the water's edge

these memories of the sun,

they will offer me solace through the gathering darkness

as we patiently await the lushness of the equinox

with a certain feigned indifference that fools no one.

Nothing Else

As the sun's rays

illuminate your being

and warm your face

pause to take a nice

long drink of life,

close your eyes and smile.

Know that this moment

in time is real and

all there is,

really all there ever was

and will be

Nothing else matters.

People will feel how they feel

and will believe

what they want to believe

our only job is to be

Fall leaves will continue

their dance in the crisp wind,

the squirrels will continue to play

and the woodsmoke will wisp

long after we're gone

But now, there is the sun

and the Earth beneath our feet

and our breath.  Time is still

and nothing else matters.

Be

Be still, coax your soul from the shadows

know when the madness is quieted

you possess all you've ever desired

Be still, see that there is subtle beauty

in each breath, in each second of life 

when you are attuned 

Be still, melt into the center of yourself and

see that what you once considered reality

will fade away as though you have awoken from a dream.

Perseverance

Existence in this world,

so volatile and uncertain

obstacles, there will be many

but opportunities lie glimmering

to be plucked from each moment

so keep chasing your dream

many on this path of life

will discourage you from even trying

and will attempt to convince you

that your fate lies

in hands other than your own

smile, hold your head high and

keep chasing your dream

some will call you naïve

or your hopes inconsequential

Don’t listen. Naivety is the

not-so-distant cousin of Faith

Faith is the womb in which all

worthwhile and spectacular things

have ever been born

so trudge on and

keep chasing your dream

The Greatest of Secrets

You languish, awash in worry

that time is slipping by

and all that once was

has long gone down the road

never to pass your way again

they tell you you’re a sinner

and you remember

when your innocence

wouldn’t allow you to believe

but time and their wicked words

have so deliberately whittled you away

it is they who tell you to keep coming back,

dangling the hope of salvation

just beyond your fervor’s grasp.

But there are a few things

that they have failed to tell you

you are miraculous, you are divinity’s spark

the power of your soul is a sleeping giant, long exiled 

if you only knew the power that you possess

your eyes would stream tears of joy as if awakened

from a terrible nightmare to realize the greatest of secrets,

that you are an emperor in beggar's clothes indeed.

Our Life   When I close my eyes and imagine my future it is you who is there, holding my hand, sharing the seasons of life throughout the rest of our days   each moment has brought us to the threshold of this one,   each moment has prepared us for one another and this beautiful life that we are building, thought by thought and dream by dream   this world is such a softer place since I’ve awoken next to you and for each second I am thankful. Sedona Dreamtime Awakened from a cold frustration far beyond the lull of creature comforts to an awareness that is beyond the days that stand between us and our desert dream Native wisdom whispers through the cypress as your cares lazily drift away in the smoke of the pungent pinon crystal clarity is born by the beat of the Hopi drum revealing the essence of your very nature shamanic chants long locked in the slick red rock leave you whole as you at last bear witness to the prolific power and beauty of your soul. From The Land of the Lost This life is a freefalling dream in which time is the only gravity reach out, but there's nothing to cling to until you awaken and discover your wings these wayward wanderings will bring may a lonesome stings but your soul is a phoenix and a most faithful guide make your journey to the peaks and take comfort in the sunrise of each day born anew taste the wine and know in time that you will make your way from the land of the lost. Spark  Desire, draw us ever deeper to the keeper of our hearts we seek but a glimpse of timeless twilight in this long day's night the Peace we seek begins within and ripples forth in silent waves bathing each and every soul with light "the powers that be" wish us to continue our slothful slumber but our numbers are too great for our hunger to be quelled put your ear to the tracks and hear the low rumble of our humble awakenings take this, your first gasp of pure Truth  utter your first cry, then a long cleansing sigh as we say goodbye to the darkness of this world

The One   

 
You are the one to whom I’ve revealed my soul 
and have entrusted with my heart completely
you are the one who gives me solace, love and peace
 
Only love can take us this far to the edge of reason
only love gives us the chance to test our wings  
and fly high above the preconceptions 
of who we thought we were, to reveal the beauty 
that has been waiting patiently for us all along
 
You ask me if I can love you for the rest of my life?
when I look into your eyes I see pure destiny 
that’s why it has always been so hard to look away
I know, without doubt, that I will love you forever
and must answer you with the question, “How could I not?”
 
Castle of Sand
I once was numb but now I feel
I may be bruised but I will heal
 
For the life that was sculpted with these two hands
Has been brushed away like a castle of sand
 
We take with us the lessons learned
from countless many seasons turned
 
fond memories walk with us down this road 
and do their best to ease our heavy load
 
this road of life is too complex to comprehend
but when encased in time’s chrysalis we mend
 
once the precious pearl of wisdom’s gained
we see all great things are born of pain
 
With faith and friends and two strong hands
I’ll build again this castle of sand
 
Possibilities

In my heart
you hold 
a special place
a place that is
sacred and quiet,
but as wild
and free 
as the wind
this place
is so alive
with possibilities
that I can’t help
but smile
long slow walks
in lazy
autumn afternoons,
shared thoughts
ambitious dreams
you alone
posses its key
to hold close
and to do with
what you will
Providence
Your presence
brings such joy
to my life,
one beautiful 
mystery
I don’t care
to explain away
but rather bask in 
each moment
that warms like the sun
and cleanses like rain
we must’ve known
one another long before
in another time and place,
some speakeasy
or juke joint dive
where lives thrived
deliberately simple,
and were as full and ripe
with richness
as each second
shared with you.
The State of The Union
I’ve seen struggle
know what it’s like 
To be broken
It’s not just a token
Of this imagination
So counterintuitive
to get up again
But I walk the grey mile
force a smile for a while
Basking in the same
fluorescent glow
you know
From sea 
to shining sea
I see girls and boys
so willing to sell
Their souls 
for a bankroll
what happened to
clean and tidy
God almighty
now this is democracy?
Let the beige-ness 
Of our existence 
leave it’s creamy 
foam on your lips
like a scarlet letter
you’ll feel better
the morning after 
mocha latte tips
warm sips sway those 
voluptuous hips
to get you through
it all 
hip-hop to 
    trip-hop to 
         flip-flop and waffle
so easy to grow
thin and angry 
when the deck is stacked
or fat and dumb
look out psyche
here it comes, 
four more years.
Take a Chance
Take a chance, any chance.
Stare down fear 
and watch it unfold you
like the ribbons of the sunrise
all red, orange and gold. 
The Long Way Home
Suspended in sweet lucidity
eyes opened in this dream
as relativity ebbs away from me
life is no longer what it seems
within these walls of alabaster
time is ticking ever faster
subjectivity breeds dillusion
this lesson will take how long to learn?
as we stumble in confusion
it's for the same thing we all yearn
within these walls of alabaster
time is ticking ever faster
to find release from caged trinity
escape once from this head of yours
we're all our own worst enemies
I am mine and you are yours.
Wake Up
Mother Earth sobs, 
under our vanity 
she struggles 
to feed her children
the frigid winds
blow the whimpers 
of her pain 
ever-scattered 
but the almighty dollar 
deafens her cries 
as minds are further dulled 
by the distraction
of this race going nowhere
Dream Ultimate
A tangled web
of brilliant lies, 
those insidious
white lines that allow us 
to keep our swagger 
and artfully dodge the
dull daggers of discontent
all have walked 
this road before
breathed in its dust, 
kicked the stones
and in the end have found 
the journey isn’t what it seemed
but just some 
gloriously forgiving dream
always kind enough
to give us one more chance.
Crescendo
This life’s crescendo
constantly on the cusp,
close as a shadow, my best friend
sadness comes only
when I forget that
it is forever with me 
this portable bliss 
no one can capture
however hard they may try
it lives in the wings of the bird,
the crackle of the fire,
and the kindness of strangers
its beauty surrounds 
to remind us who we are
and will cradle us in its arms
until our last breath.
Green Mill (Chicago 8-19-2004)
We took the redline to Lawrence
and checked the world at the door
in the footsteps of all those before
who found solace in sax and
draped themselves in neon dreams
I must confess 
how easily I aquiesced
to the Gresik groove
hundreds moved
as broad shoulders unloaded
some say this swing-style's outmoded
it don't mean a thing
Brother, I felt the pulse
and the heart's still tickin'
after all these years
and I'm the first to say that 
the I'm blown away
If relics we are, I accept it
this hurried world, I reject it
as I go back in my mind 
to a simpler time
learn a new step and perfect it.