Tea party

I imagine them gathering, 

In the late afternoons, 

For a bit of tea and gossip 

About things they have observed, 

Studiously ignoring 

The human who stands nearby 

While at the same time hoping 

She might feed them…

The urge to protect

The madrona stands out 

In a forest of evergreens 

As a naked woman would in a ballroom: 

All the ruffles and lace fade into oneness 

Against the bare vulnerability of skin — 

Awakening, unbidden, the urge to protect, 

As would a child, under threat from bullies. 

May that urge to protect 

 Always overwhelm the need for power.

A parable for today

Though the sun rose, as always, in the east, 

The east was overtaken 

By a vast, thick bank of clouds,

 And so the west offered to serve 

As a canvas for the colors 

Which had nowhere else to go, 

And together they brought beauty, spice, 

And vitality to the sky and all it touched.

Iridescence

The miracle of iridescence 

Feels like spirit, or love, 

Or creativity: so vibrant and alive; 

Incandescent, unpredictable, 

Yet possible if we are patient 

And can learn to watch and wait 

Til what looks green in one moment 

Turns in another 

To purple, blue, or teal 

While the yellow, brown, and orange 

Remain unchanged.

The Power of Love

It’s just a simple potting shed, 

But mother Nature’s special effects — 

The fog, and glorious sunsets — 

Infuse it with mystery and beauty.

 It’s love, I believe, 

That has that same effect on us humans…

Are we losing our way?

Some days it feels 

Like the guides we created 

To keep us on the straight and narrow 

And out of the weeds 

Have grown fuzzier and slipperier with time 

And may eventually disappear 

For lack of maintenance 

Or lack of use — 

 And does it even matter which? 

How can we find our way back 

To the spirit, and to truth?

Find courage in connection

It’s important to remember that 

Different things take courage 

For different people. 

For me, to draw the fine lines you see here 

Was far more frightening 

Than standing or speaking before a crowd 

Or starting a new play or painting: 

The voices in my head were shouting 

“You can’t draw! You know you’ll wreck this!” 

These are the times — 

When facing the voices that challenge us — 

We need to be willing to ask for support, 

To join forces together with neighbors,

Family, and friends 

And find courage together to resist 

The things that scare us.