Carrie

White-eyes

In winter
all the singing is in
the tops of the trees
where the wind-bird

with its white eyes
shoves and pushes
among the branches.
Like any of us

he wants to go to sleep,
but he’s restless—
he has an idea,
and slowly it unfolds

from under his beating wings
as long as he stays awake.
But his big, round music, after all,
is too breathy to last.

So, it’s over.
In the pine-crown
he makes his nest,
he’s done all he can.

I don’t know the name of this bird,
I only imagine his glittering beak
tucked in a white wing
while the clouds—

which he has summoned
from the north—
which he has taught
to be mild, and silent—

thicken, and begin to fall
into the world below
like stars, or the feathers
of some unimaginable bird

that loves us,
that is asleep now, and silent—
that has turned itself
into snow.

Quote: Mary Oliver
Image: David Kanigan

thank you, Karl Duffy (Mindfulbalance)

New Year

“Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering ‘it will be happier’…”

may it be so.

Quote: Alfred Lord Tennyson

Christmas Eve

On That Night

A Blessing for Christmas Eve

On that night when

you are holding

your very last hope,

thinking to let it go

as too small to be saved

or sanctified;

on that night when

you turn away at last

from the far horizon

over which you had thought

your life would come

to find you;

on that night,

believe me,

this is where

the ache

will give way

to the mystery

and the blessing

that seemed so distant

will quietly

come to meet you,

holding your heart

in its two

luminous hands.

Image and poem: Jan Richardson

Holiday ride (Re-post)

This is a season like no other for emotions to rise both joyful and sad. I share this in gratitude for the recognition of both.

Thank you, David Kanigan

We have just seen the last full moon for 2021. It is known as the Cold Moon. It shines as to announce the coming of the shortest day of the year. The solstice is upon us. A threshold of sorts and all begins again…

There are times when,
If the circumstances are just right,
Like a full moon,
A light rain,
Twilight, or fog,
There is a momentary crossing
From time to timelessness,
Form to Formless,
Blood and bone to earth and rock,
Past and future to present.
Where the atoms, the molecules of me
Forget to stop
From fusing into the earth and other places
Where I am not lost, but found,
Not part, but whole,
No longer longing for myself.