Month: March 2016

The Lesson of the Birds

comments 21
Poetry

I’m still learning the lesson of the birds. The one about sitting in the cover of spruce needles wearing the colors of fire and not questioning my birdness. Just letting it happen. Not questioning the tides of daylight and nightfall that inhabit me, that rinse my memory clean of silt and jagged edges and leave me singing about sitting in the cover of spruce needles wearing the colors of fire. I’m still learning that lesson […]

This Little Game We Play

comments 38
Course Ideas / Creative

I take the pack of index cards out of my shirt pocket, slide the rubber band off, and lay them on the table.  Hafiz has prepared a few placards and set them up at credible intervals.  They read, “No Way, José,” “I Sure Hope Not,” “Why, Of Course!” “Prepare Yourself For Tears,” and “Jesus Christ!” I take a breath and shuffle the cards.  Place them in a neat pile on the table. The first card […]

My Plan

comments 32
Course Ideas / Poetry

My plan, Hafiz, is to start a movement. A beautiful groundswell. It will involve festivals, of course, local chapters, iconic images, bylaws, speeches that change everything and people who don’t bathe mixing happily with those who do. Food stands.  Woven hats. And yes, a cool logo. It will have green in it for sure. The thing is that it must be worldwide— everywhere that people are. And some places they’re not, too. How great would […]

The Night Love Came For Me…

comments 43
Reflections

Love came for me the other night and took me in.  She placed me on her tongue, in the darkness, and let me dissolve until there was nothing left, and she whispered to me all the while about every true thing until I remembered I was the blood in her veins. I would say to whomever would listen, never forget we are the blood in Love’s veins.  We nourish every part of the great body, […]

Back to Basics

comments 26
Poetry

I came in the door grunting like a bison with four empty stomachs and a calf at home with a head cold, dragged a toe on the threshold and nearly sent five half-shredded bags of heart healthy fruits and vegetables two bottles of heart healthy wine a heart healthy dark chocolate bar and a glass bottle of the most perfect most heart healthy cold-pressed olive oil Mother Nature could produce shooting across the floor in […]

After the Memories

comments 54
Christ / Course Ideas

Our pain is bound up in our memories.  We don’t see what’s in front of us, we just see strange reenactments of our past.  It’s not really our past even, just the things we concluded from our past.  Our conclusions travel with us wherever we go.  This is what Jesus calls learning.  It’s our loyalty to all the stuff we made up.  We keep these little statues woven to the inside of our coats to remind […]