Caught in inconsistency

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote 

That a foolish consistency was the hobgoblin 

Of small minds, a phrase I’ve always thought 

Was useful, and had merit — 

 Both as an encouragement to openness 

And as a rationale when caught in inconsistency, 

And so I use it here, to justify 

This abstract artist’s random descent 

 Into the representational: 

I know it’s out of character 

(For subject, if not for color) 

But the truth is, it makes me smile, 

And these days that’s a very special blessing.

Perils of disparity

For every castle out there, 

There are hovels hiding nearby, 

Housing those who help maintain 

 That elegant space; 

Who may even derive satisfaction 

From close association with the castle, 

Whatever the behaviors of its inhabitants. 

But the greater the disparity 

Between the rich and poor, 

The greater seems the likelihood 

 That any sense of common ground 

 And compassion for those less fortunate 

 Will inevitably have begun to wane…

Those monumental clouds

We’ve been watching those monumental clouds 

For a while now, knowing they presage 

A monumental storm, 

But what can we do? 

Find ways to shelter those we love, 

And open our hearts as best we can 

To ensure the safety of those around us; 

Batten down the hatches and brace ourselves — 

Or perhaps not? 

 Maybe take a lesson from the trees 

And become more flexible; 

Learn to bend, lest we risk breaking…

The choice we make

Those of us who are earthbound watch 

As the waves and boats and clouds 

Go scurrying by, and imagine 

How challenging it must be, on a windy day, 

To be both free and at the mercy 

Of forces we can’t control — 

Until we understand that, wherever we stand, 

That will always be the case, 

And we can choose to revel 

In what freedoms we do have, or mourn, 

Or whine, about that which lies beyond control: 

The choice, now and forever, 

 Is always ours to make.

Brighten the corner

The time has come 

To take a lesson from the sun 

And simply brighten the corner where you are; 

To shine a light on the simple, the beautiful, 

The ordinary — every thing, however small, 

That lightens the burden or sends a spark 

Of creativity, compassion, 

 Generosity, hope, or kindness 

Into the world around us.

Awakened by the moon

Awakened by the moon, I stepped outside, 

Shutting the door behind me 

To ensure the cats didn’t follow 

(They’re black; I’d never find them in the dark). 

Lifting my phone, I pressed the big white button 

(How like a moon, itself, except, unlike the moon, 

It never drops behind a veil of clouds 

As this moon soon did). 

However full and present, 

It quickly disappeared, as if it never was; 

So like the light we thought had filled the world 

That now seems hidden once again, 

Or just illusion, and the clouds, so dark, 

Are our true destiny, 

 All light and goodness gone, 

As if the cats had gotten out and disappeared, 

First into night, and then, with one last howl, 

Into the belly of the raccoon 

Who lurks beneath the deck.

Confined or free

There are those who are happy 

And content to be confined in their cages, 

And others who are free to fly 

But stuck in their anger, 

 Frozen by their fear and frustration. 

When will the time come 

When all can be free 

 And feel so safe in their freedom 

That they’re willing to take flight and explore?