The Night of the Turtle Moon

The full moon glanced light onto the most ancient of rituals. What was at stake had to be done at dark. It has held court for millions of years.

Ms. Turtle first appeared to be a large rock that was in church as the evening ocean sang hymns. She hid, as she was mysteriously attentive.

Lumbering with hesitated steps, she found the spot where she would bury her gift of eggs, so that her little sons and daughters would be given their time.

Their task would be to climb out of their first home, through the layers of sand, and then scramble back across where their mother had brought them, before diving head first into the dangerous deep waters,

All without becoming dinner for the many gulls, who with hungry stomachs would be watching every move.

Life orchestrates instincts of danger for moving us on, making birth our first trauma, frightening us into living, guaranteeing nothing, blessing us as we find our courage.

Ms. Turtle, and mothers in all skins, know all of this, and yet they abide by their calling, to be a vessel for life, as they assume their role, so life can go on.

I did not know if she had said her prayers, so I said mine. May the lunge to live be successful for all babies and those of us finding our nerve.

I stood up and quietly applauded. The Ocean played on. I was thankful.
7.14 

The chance

A woman and a man meet

when they are not looking,

within their silence

their souls catch fire.

Their bodies pause

as their secrets come unfastened,

memories cascade out

 like friends with surprises.

They find a time

 which stretches their sense of life,

as they welcome messengers

from other worlds.

Far inside arises a feeling

that will end only when they have

completed what they are called to live.

They breathe together

and consider each other’s hearts,

making room , even for the dark.

They grow apart so they can be together.

Their one candle requires two flames.

Their sexual affirms and brings a future.

Music sounds that only they can hear.

They meet difficulty.

Their wild natures test their strength.

They feel invaded by coincidences

They face the severe consequences of remaining asleep.

Time makes them weaker and more familiar.

They look back and find reasons to quit.

They find God only after the worst has happened.

The war between them they discover is inside each of them.

They find they can only say Yes after they have learned to say No.

Something is whispered in both of them that remains as courage.

They hold on, as they fear for their lives

They are bound together by a force that is so deep  it is simple

For their love has blessed even their misunderstandings, their loneliness, their differences, they’re being friends, and strangers to each other

Life takes the mystery before it gives it back

The boy lifts weights. Muscles grew, and the world is his.

He graduated from school and he knew everything.

He finds happiness by winning the game.

He thinks he can walk through a door if he wants.  Life smiles if he does.

He has life in his grasp. If he fails, he hardly notices.

Along came the man who the boy became.

He is wide-eyed and daring, some said innocent, but he plowed ahead.

He ran fast, nothing stopped him, until something did, and he then fell.

On his knees, he began to fear for his life.

He bought more books. He ran faster and then farther than ever before.

The small room where he lived was no longer safe.

His father died. He did not move. Babies were born. He was speechless. 

He looked for love and found a dark ocean.

He searched in the minds of old people and places they said God had been.

What he found was not in his language.

By then he was ready to give up. He could hardly move.

He knelt to pray and a grasshopper winked at him.

He winked back.

Finally he had received his notice.

From now on he was to walk in accordance with the stirrings that gave him life.

                                                               The Old Beast

Inside this skin

is an old beast,

who once roamed the wild lands

like a nomad.

guided by invisible forces

that drove me night and day,

seldom at rest in one place,

hardly ever alone.

Since death is part of living.

I slept  with one eye open,

fear was both my friend and my enemy.

In time my skin hardened,

years left their mark,

friends died and old places vanished.

life got slower,

more time with myself,

fear said not to stop ,

but there was no place to go,

except to be where I was.

one day I  turned to an angel and  asked

“will you teach me how to be with myself.”

There was only the night sky.

I listened for her words.

Silence screamed.

My muscles tightened,

I wanted to run away,

but it was different this time,

as I chose to stay,

In time silence wrapped around me,

until I felt something that I never had known.

What was spoken had no words.

what I heard was who I am.

my body loosened, my soul relaxed

the old beast found a place to soften,

both eyes could close,

so I could see,

and from inside

I began to pray.

The angel knew her work had been done

she wrapped me in her love

as she found her way to leave

she looked back

to see the beast was gone

and behind was left a man

who was filled a passion to live

as he sat by the fire

alone with his life.

                                    to the end

From your small window may you see the starry night

From your fears may you not run away

From what is possible may you find your place

Bringing you alert to where you are called.

May death ignite your urgency

May wounds deepen your intentions

May silence strengthen your presence

Bringing you alive to where you are to be.

With the wind as your guide

With the mountains as your song

With the single rose as your measure of hope

Bringing you in tune to where you are to stand.

With the dawning of the early morning

With the majesty of deep places

With the breath of the first day

Bringing you to the fire where you are to go.

Alongside your friends may you be yourself

Alongside your freedom may you find your meaning

Alongside your walk may you find the road less traveled

Bringing you in time to the beginning and to the end.

RSH 2012

NightLight

               (I took this on the night of the Harvest Moon (2012) at Vero Beach, Florida)