I work best with lots of pillows

of time

softening the pace of my day,

tortoise not hare,

slow lane works best for me,

so when you see that slow- walking lady

try not to honk too much at her,

she'll get out of your way

in due course,

fast or slow

we all arrive at the finish--

eventually.

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Is it all about us-against-them

or are we all-in-this-together?

When I put you in a box

I hope I remember 

to keep the lid open

so I will then remember

to open my mind

& discard the box altogether.

How much better life is

when we swim together

like salmon in a stream

rather than drown each other

in hateful verbiage!

May my words be kind,

may my thoughts be...

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There are alot of -isms in the world --

capitalism, socialism, communism, feminism, racism, sexism, etc. etc. etc.--

the use of --isms is fine

because they help

organize our thoughts, our politics, our policies, but--

when all is said & done,

when I meet you face-to-face,

I prefer to drop

all the -isms & just 

be

you & me,

two souls

in human manifestation.

Wh...

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Nothing but happiness

Nothing but suffering

Can we accept the double-sided coin,

the whole enchilada,

nothing more,

nothing less,

but this--

duality?

Everything is happiness

Everything is suffering

Can we rejoice in this conundrum of confusion,

scattered pieces,

nothing more,

nothing less,

but this--

unity?

All the pieces of the puzzle fit--

somew...

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When the dust finally settles,

all becomes well again--

we know this--

but it's hard to remember

in the midst of anguished suffering.

So when the dust stirs up

and things start flying,

find some cover

where you can wait

out the storm.

Things will settle,

peace will return,

this is the nature of living--

something arrives to stir it up,

wild mixing bowl of ...

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Sometimes to heal

we have to travel far & wide

within the interior of our being,

digging deep,

unearthing old experiences,

imprints from previous voyages,

on the long long road to freedom.

Do not give up hope

oh weary traveler!

All the tools you need

are within your reach,

patience, fortitude, wisdom

fall from the sky 

& drop in your lap,

in your stillness...

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This is what I do

when I can't do

what I'm doing

anymore.

Step 1: inside myself quietly

scream rant cuss & make crazy faces at myself in the mirror

Step 2: get completely empty, and I mean completely empty,  "ho'oponopono" empty, until I am an empty jar resting in deep stillness on a bare table

Step 3: inside myself quietly

smile & laugh

like a sitting buddha

like a w...

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The mind thinks

so one would think

it would think itself into

a happy state.

 But no-oo-o for many of us,

the mind thinks

disaster, catastrophe

around every corner.

So when you're thinking strays from what serves you well,

when your heart jumps in 

and cries its pain,

just remember:

there is a thinker

behind the mind

thinking deeper

than the thoughts.

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As we wait for our healing,

we wonder,

is it guaranteed?

For corporeal sense, no,

of course not,

these amazing bodies--

brilliant in what they do,

cells moving & cleaning & rearranging--

are designed to fail,

eventually.

But for non-corporeal sense,

yes, yes, yes!

Healing is a journey

that continues on--

so let hope rise like a geyser,

splash in the wat...

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Strong hands 

mold the clay--

Different ways to create the day

Rushing and fretting

Too much to do

Thinking the worst

Arduous tasks

Like pushing a heavy boulder up a hill

Or

Slowly and without worry

Nothing to do

Things get done

The perfect help arrives

exactly when needed

Like soft water cascading down a hill--

Strong hands

mold the clay,

lovely ...

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Resurrection

Transformation

Such beautiful words

Life uplifted

Life renewed

Wait patiently

You never know when the moment has arrived

The tipping point as they say

Many ways can open

Don't try to figure it out

Human brain is small

Like a twinkling star

Open to intelligence

of the galaxies

And surprises

Pop up unexpectedly

Pain followed by joy

Doub...

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If I look at you long enough

will you transform

into something new?

If I shine light long enough

will the entire planet be illuminated?

I am but a lady bug landing on a flower,

I have no power

over souls' journeys

or planetary orbits.

But I have love.

We have love.

A million lady bugs

do indeed create

a carpet of brilliance.

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Do you have enough faith to let the land lie fallow when the dry wind blows?

Do you have enough faith to believe the green sprouts will peek through when the rain comes?

Oh ye of little faith!, he said with exasperation.

Of course I lack faith.

I am human.

I fall to my knees & beg...

please, please, please,

take this away.

Until, I remember...

hard things take time to cl...

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Can you live with crazy?

she asked.

Yes, he said, as long as it's gentle crazy.

She walked around hiding behind masks

& he realized that wasn't crazy at all,

that was normal,

who doesn't wear a mask?

Visible or invisible coverings,

we shade our eyes 

& try not to see

what hurts our heart.

Maybe crazy is a door to freedom.

Let it in, see it, feel it,

then, lik...

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A blue guitar sits on a red chair.

She likes to play the blues on that guitar

& she insists that the chair is where the guitar should sit

but isn't a chair meant for people-sitting

I query,

well apparently not

because that blue guitar

has been sitting

on that red chair

for eons it seems

(months? years? I can't keep track of time anymore so I don't hardly try),

okay...

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Dedicated to all the WOL poets & readers, & to poetry lovers everywhere--thank you!

Hello darlin'

write me a poem

any poem will do

rhyme is fine

free verse is cool

make it sweet

make it a rant

make it funny

make it sad

it matters not darlin'

just write me a poem

& I will read it eagerly

'cause from the heart

I know it flows.

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Maybe she can never

rub two nickels together

but she can dance

like a ballerina

& twirl like a spinning top.

Maybe her life

will always be hard

because she was wounded when she was tender

& some things

just never go away.

But maybe she will flourish

because life is a flower

& you never know

when it will bloom. 

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I love you so much

I am a  splattered mess on the floor,

waiting for strong gentle hands to whisk me away.

I love you so much

I want to shower you with everything I have

like Santa Claus at Christmas delivering toys across the sky.

I love you so much

I am obliterated with hope that every good thing will come your way.

I love you so much

so much

so much

that the spa...

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A trusting relationship

is worth all the gold in the world.

If I trust your love,

I want to please you,

not because I am afraid of you

or because I feel guilty,

but because I want to make you happy

& myself happy too.

So, in our relationships, we can build the blocks of trust,

little by little,

day by day,

with our steadfast presence & caring.

And if life's trau...

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