Funeral for a Friend You come to bid a friend farewell Heavy-soled shoes echo on cold stones in a crowded yet empty hallway Muffled voices whisper between heads hung low A eulogy drifts by Thoughts meander off into the distance Familiar faces from the past distraught with anguish A sphere void of color Focus drawn to flowers adorning the vessel housing an empty shell Tears roll down your face Salt entering the corners of your mouth Hunger churns the stomach though it lacks not sustenance Swallowing slowly, repeatedly keeping down a bitter taste Arms quiver, legs twitch A burden lifts recognizing a suffering has ceased Sorrow swells up inside Grasping it is your own loss you grieve Faint smell of roses virtually unnoticed Cold damp air fills lungs Inhaling through clenched teeth that chill as it flows past Briefly, the moment held within your chest A sigh ebbs out slowly, quietly through your nose Questions of past interactions flash by Feelings of having been robbed brought on by memories of happy times A baby's cry triggers the subconscious realization that life goes on Turning to leave behind your friend, You discover his spirit, not gone, but alive within you

 

 

New Friend Crocus bulb - cold, hard winter's ground Tiny heart-shaped ball - fetal position Withdrawn, energy focused inwardly Many months unmoved Faint mildness penetrates from above Slowly soil loosens Body relaxes, stretches, uncurls Roots sprout: seeking, expanding below Head pushes up; neck straightens Drawn upwards by mysterious magnet New freedom felt breaking surface Dew drops trickle down fresh green leaves Morning sun's rays touch unfolding bud Whispering spring breeze gently swaying Absorbing warmth, water, air, light Fertile ground nourishing wakening soul Softly cooing morning doves from branches above Yellow daffodils, purple anemones, white snowdrops Neighboring hyacinths' gentle fragrance drifts past Blossom opens, reviving dormant senses

Dawn of Meditation Black or White, Night or Day, Good or Evil, So they say Look deeper, by the way You’ll discover, shades of gray So much wiser you shall be Than the others who can not see Eyes now opened, more you’ll find Nonetheless, you’re still quite blind Life may seem a little duller Until you learn that there’s color Take that step so luminescent Still you’ll be an adolescent Close your lids to open your eyes There’s more to see beneath these skies See without looking, Eat without cooking Taste without eating, Welcome the greeting Hear without listening, Snow gently glistening Smell without breathing, Live without wreathing Feel without touching, Loosen your clutching Know without asking, In sun be basking Learn well each sense, Get past its fence Shut out four, use but one Stop all five, you’ve begun Far you’ve traveled, Much unraveled Time has passed, Great your winning Now at last, You’re beginning

  

River of Life Sometimes things just precipitate and we can choose to go with the flow or fight it. The river of life is one of many currents, merging and branching side streams, churning eddies, tranquil wide portions, white-water sections ... What seems like a gentle brook can quickly become a raging stream though an unexpected deluge. Sometimes we simply get ripped along and paddling is useless and other times when the water is stiller we can choose to go with the flow, try to swim upstream, or simply redirect our course slightly to take one branch or another. From time to time, we imagine having an inkling of what lies downstream; other times we know not what to expect on the other side of torrent falls ahead. Often when we feel we're being helplessly swept along, we suddenly come upon a stiller section where the river widens. Almost as though in a lake, we find it hard to detect the current and are no longer clear of our direction. We may choose to languish and rest for a spell before feeling the need to pick a destination. Once in a while, we decide to dive under in an attempt to escape from the rest of the world, but our desire to live and breath eventually brings us back to the surface. Now and then the current brings other things into our lives and sometimes it carries them away; some of those things we may latch onto to be carried with them wherever they go, afraid we might sink or drown if we let go. Occasionally we find the strength to consciously let loose and paddle under our own strength again. Other times the rushing water is too strong and what seemed like a life preserver is ripped from us; shocked at first we are amazed to discover we can still swim on our own... Now and then, we choose to seek refuge on shore and let life's river flow past us while our life comes to a halt. At times, unexpected tributaries provide us with a source of fresh water. Even our river's ultimate destination, a sea of collected souls and consciousnesses, has its surging breakers, ebbs, tides, gentle waves, and raging surf.  The Buddhists say we should seek the floating lotus blossom in the sea of flames; I believe we need not seek far for that blossom lies within us.

Untamed Earth, Wind, Fire, Rain

Storm clouds forming in the distance,
Wind running its gentle fingers through your hair,
Invigorating smell of rain,
Birds race about in anticipation,
Horses nostrils flaring, ears pointed
Eyes gaze longingly yet alertly into the oncoming storm
Feet pounding the still hard ground as they gallop toward the barn
Cool breeze rushing towards black clouds
Thunder crashing! lightening flashing!
Primal instinct within stirring with excitement

First light sprinkles upon your face
A rainbow appears over the hills
Cleansing of worldly concerns as the rain's intensity climbs
The white noise of rain-drops pelting everything in sight
Downpour results in trickles down your nose
Over your parched lips

You stride out into the rain
Clothes become heavy yet your heart feels lighter, relieved
Puddles form, reflecting
Rapidly moving clouds above in gentle, subdued light
Creeks begin to gurgle
Changing from harmless rivulets into passionate torrents
Walking alone the transforming path
Feet squish in drenched socks
You take off your shoes and carry them
Tepid mud oozes between toes

Strange connection to nature rouses within
Water penetrates garments through to your body
Breathing in moisture rich air
Letting it fill your lungs with purifying sensation
Turn your face skyward
Let the rain stream down your cheeks and neck
It slips past your open collar

Leaves of plants all around rejoice
They reach toward the sky
Welcoming the relief of the rain they'd been awaiting
New life silently wriggles below as the moisture seeps down
Seeds buried in expectation of the coming of spring
Bringing forth that desire to penetrate upward while spreading roots below

Returning to the house, you see smoke curling from the chimney into the dusk
Knowing a hot apple toddy awaits with a fresh cinnamon stick
Nutmeg and a touch of dark Jamaican rum
Forgetting not the zest of a lemon twist
Enter to sounds of crackling from the hearth
A warm, tranquil glow
Drift quietly back into your room
Let clothes tumble all around
Towel off and slip into a silk kimono

Emerge to stretch out in front of the fire
Your toddy and a soothing foot massage await
Sigh, eyelids gently close, sip gingerly from the hot toddy
It soothingly slides down your throat
Now roaring fire radiates a cozy feeling
Your feet curl and toes stretch
The strong yet gentle pressure of thumbs
A tingle rushes up your spine to the base of your head
You drift off in bliss in the serenity of what you know to be home

---

Finite Fun

Frisbee
Flying Freely
Forgetting Fatal Fears
Floating Forwards, Fading Further
Finished

 Life

A figment, a dream
Of flying
Like a falcon, a feather
Over fields and forests,
Fluttering, faltering, falling.
A forecast finding fate in the foggy future.
Awakening from the final dream.
Death

---

The words above are mine.  One of my favorites (below, with my attempt at a translation) is by Pablo Neruda:

Sonnet XVII

No te amo como se fueras rosa de sal, topacio o flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego: te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras, secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma.	I do not love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off: I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
Te amo como la planta que no florece y lleva dentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores, y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo el apretado aroma que ascendió de la tierra.	I love you as the plant that never blooms but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers, thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance, risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde, te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo: así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera,	I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where, I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride:
sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres, tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía, tan cerca que se cierran tu ojos con mi sueño.	so I love you because I know no other way than this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close

---

Another favorite by Pablo Neruda:

Tu Risa
(translation to German by Beate Hoerr, to English by Chris Dolezalek)

Tu risa	Your laughter	Dein Lachen
Qu¡tame el pan, si quieres,	Take away my bread if you will,	Nimm mir das Brot weg, wenn du
quítame el aire, pero	take the air that I breath,	es willst, nimm mir die Luft weg
no me quites tu risa.	but leave me your laughter.	aber laß mir dein Lachen.
		>
No me quites la rosa,	Deprive me not of the rose,	Laß mir die Rosenblüte
la lanza que desgranas,	the stream which exudes,	den Strahl, den Du versprühst
el agua que de pronto	this water that quickly	dieses Wasser, das plötzlich
estalla en tu alegría,	shoots forth your happiness,	aufschießt in deiner Freude
la repentina ola	the sudden wave	die jähe Woge aus Grün,
De planta que te nace.	in which you were born to this earth.	in der du zur Welt kommst.
>
Mi lucha es dura y vuelvo	My struggle is tough and often	Mein Kampf ist hart und manchmal
Con los ojos cansados	I return home with weary eyes	komme ich heim mit müden Augen
A veces de haber visto	for I have seen the world	weil ich die Welt gesehen habe,
la tierra que no cambia,	which does not change,	die sich nicht ändert
pero al entrar tu risa	yet no sooner do I enter,	doch kaum trete ich ein,
Sube al cielo buscándome	than your laughter rises to heaven	steigt dein Lachen zum Himmel
y abre para mí todos	seeks me out and opens for me	sucht nach mir und öffnet mir
Las puertas de la vida.	all the doors of life.	alle Türen des Lebens.
Amor mío, en la hora	My love, yet in the	Meine Liebe, auch in der
más oscura desgrana	darkest hour,	dunkelsten Stunde laß dein
tu risa, y si de pronto	let your laughter spring forth and see	Lachen aufsprühn, und siehst du
ves que mi sangre mancha	suddenly my blood as a puddle	plötzlich mein Blut als Pfütze
Las piedras de la calle,	on the stones in the road,	auf den Steinen der Straße
ríe, porque tu risa	laugh then, for your laughter	So lache, denn dein Lachen
será para mis manos como una espada fresca.	will lie in my hands as a shining sword.	wird meinen Händen wie ein frisch glänzendes Schwert sein.
Ríete de la noche,	Laugh about the night,	Lache über die Nacht,
del día, de la luna (...)	about the day, the moon (…)	über den Tag, den Mond (…)
Niégame el pan, el aire,	take away my bread if you will,	nimm mir das Brot, die Luft,
la luz, la primavera,	the air, the light, the springtime,	das Licht, den Frühling
Pero tu risa nunca	but never your laughter	aber niemals dein Lachen
porque me moriría.	for otherwise I would die.	denn sonst würde ich sterben.

  Another favorite, this one by Rilke:

Rainer Maria Rilke New Poems (1907) Translated by Chris Dolezalek 1998 The Panther In the Jardin des Plantes, Paris His gaze with the passing of bars grown tired, holding only emptiness. It is to him as though there be a thousand bars and behind those thousand bars, no world. The soft gait of gentle yet powerful strides, that turn in ever smaller circles, is as a power dance around a center in which a great will stands benumbed. Rarely does the pupils' heavy curtain lift --. Silently allowing an image to enter, pentrating this void carried by wearied limbs -- quickly it is lost within his heart.

Rainer Maria Rilke Neue Gedichte (1907) Original Der Panther Im Jardin des Plantes, Paris Sein Blick ist vom Vorübergehn der Stäbe so müde geworden, daß er nichts mehr hält. Ihm ist, als ob es tausend Stäbe gäbe und hinter tausend Stäben keine Welt. Der weiche Gang geschmeidig starker Schritte, der sich im allerkleinsten Kreise dreht, ist wie ein Tanz von Kraft um eine Mitte, in der betäubt ein großer Wille steht. Nur manchmal schiebt der Vorhang der Pupille sich lautlos auf --. Dann geht ein Bild hinein, geht durch der Glieder angespannte Stille -- und hört im Herzen auf zu sein.

 

Künstlers Abendlied Ach, daß die innre Schöpfungskraft Durch meinen Sinn erschölle! Daß eine Bildung voller Saft Aus meinen Fingern quölle! Ich zittre nur, ich stottre nur, Und kann es doch nicht lassen; Und fühl, ich kenne dich, Natur, Und so muß ich dich fassen. Bedenk ich dann, wie manches Jahr Sich schon mein Sinn erschließet, Wie er, wo dürre Heide war, Nun Freudenquell genießet; Wie sehn ich mich, Natur, nach dir, Dich treu und lieb zu fühlen! Ein lustger Springbrunn wirst du mir Aus tausend Röhren spielen. Wirst alle meine Kräfte mir In meinem Sinn erheitern Und dieses enge Dasein hier Zur Ewigkeit erweitern. Johann Wolfgang Goethe: Gedichte Goethe: Weitere Gedichte Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von

 

From "Tao Te Ching" (by Lao Tzu as translated by Stephen Mitchell)
Complete Translation.
Original Chinese Character Version.

Look, and it can't be seen
Listen, and it can't be heard
Reach, and it can't be grasped

Above, it isn't bright
Below, it isn't dark
Seamless, unnamable,
It returns to the realm of nothing,
Form that includes all form,
Image without an image,
Subtle, beyond all comprehension

Approach it and there is no beginning
Follow it and there is no end.
You can't know it, but you can be it,
At ease in your life,
Just realize where you came from
This is the essence of wisdom