And the Ancestors Spoke

And the ancestors spoke and said

“Child, find your voice”

“Do not sit mutely watching the world go by”

“Use your voice and remind the people of the price of silence”

The price of silence, they gave me to understand:

Injustices, heartache, pain on every level of one’s being

But I answered them, “I have not your strength, I am weak”

And that quiet voice I attribute to them wisely advised:

“Even an infant cries out for what it needs; even a child loves, if taught love”

And then I whined and rationalized and said again,

“I am not wise. I do not understand”

They answered, “Hear us, then, let us teach you …

Sit by the ocean, feel the moisture of the waves as the wind brings it to you

And the scent of the briny air

Walk in the forest feel the softness of the earth beneath your feet

Hear the birds sing and insects buzz

Go to the mountains and look up at the wonder before you

Feel its majesty and grandeur

Venture out into the dessert and on the sandy dunes feel the sun hot upon your skin

Visit the fields and meadows and dig in the soil for plants that nourish

And when you know the blessings of the earth turn and share them

As the wind brings moisture to the land, give drink to those who thirst

As the forest offers shelter, give shelter to those in need

As the mountains make us pause in wonder, give joy and wonder to those who despair

As the sun heats the dessert, bring warmth and compassion to those who are cold

As the fields and meadows offer sustenance, feed those who hunger

But most of all, feel, for when you feel deeply you will not turn from another in need”

And so, I found my voice, and though it may be soft and weak, I will use it here

Thank you, Ancestors

 

 

 

Tree knots

Tree knots

That look like eyes

Are they watching

As we walk by?

Knots on trees

That have fallen

On the ground

A new home

For things that creep

And crawl among the loam

Knots that

When counted

Tell of age

And years

Living grain surrounds them

As they reach up to the skies

Whether upright

And standing

Or fallen

Upon the earth

Tree knots tell a story

Of the circle of life

Elders of the planet

Do you watch us on our way

You grant us clean air to breathe

And shade a sunny day

Give thanks

For the giants

And for the lowly bush

Green royalty

They give us

Breath and life assured

 

 

 

 

 

Unity Prayer

O God, Divine One, I prayed

Come, heal our hurting world

Ease the suffering of peoples everywhere

And the answer came

I give you two hands

Two hands to lift up

To help and heal

I give you two legs

To carry you where you need to go

Whether across the street

Or across the world

Two ears for listening

To all the cares and concerns

One mouth, one mouth only

To speak the truth

Two arms, two strong arms

To carry away the burdens you will find

In every corner on earth

I give one heart

One heart to each human being

To love

And to each one mind

Created to understand

And so I learned

We have everything we need

To heal this hurting world

To ease the peoples’ suffering

And when our hearts and hands

Are joined in sacred purpose

Hurts will be healed

Suffering will be eased

And we can be one

Divinely led

Unity

Photo credit: PIxabay

I will not worry

 

I will not worry

I will not fear

I will leave it all

In your care

Knowing that

Gentle Hands

Hold me close

A gentle heart

understands

Every need

Every desire

Every hope

and every dream

I will not worry

Upon your grace

I will lean

 

Lost in the Story

Lost in the story

Of people long ago

In a century that’s past,

And the hardships they knew

Characters come to life

and seem so real

Yet, I know, it’s only history

Stuck in the past

not in a negative way

Just walking in their footsteps

Our ancestors, dear

those who came before us

And paved the way

I treasure their lessons

And freedoms, hard won

I’m lost in the story,

And the story’s not done

I will keep all their lessons

And pass them along

Wisdom and courage

And faith ever strong

I’m lost in the story

Allow me to linger

I’m lost in the story

And here I will stay

A Prayer for Strength

When the wait is long

And the hours slow

When we are in need of solace

And healing of the hurt

I beg you, come

 

When the unknown threatens to unseat our faith

And darkness cloaks the light

Remind us, Divine Creator

Of your power and your might

 

I pray for strength for me and mine

Carry us as we wait

Whether in the morning

Or when the hour grows late

We cannot know Your will, at times

Grant us Your gift of trust

Help us be patient as we contemplate the outcome

Help us know it will be all right

Whatever the day may hold

 

O Divine Creator, come

Deliver us from all fear and doubt

I beg You, please

Just come

Blessed be the giver

Blessed be the giver

With open heart and hand

Unselfish love and mercy,

A mind that understands

Blessed be the giver

An Angel in human form

Life was changed forever

The day that you were born

The Goblin King

A week to go to Hallowe’en

And trick or treaters make the scene

The trees are bare, all leaves have fallen

Ghosts and witches will come calling

But hark what is that sound I hear?

Methinks it is the goblin king

His pointed head and empty eyes

Cannot be masked, Or ere disguised

What fright or scare has given birth

To this monster of the night?

He hovers over our little earth

And calls forth his winged company

Of darklings and the ghoulish ghouls

Summons too, from deep in the murk

his gloom-faced fiends from where they lurk

To seek tender souls on which to feast

Until the sun rises in the east

Monsters big and monsters small

That creep and sneak and eerily crawl

Matching none born of the earth

And come out but once a year

To feed upon our restless fears

The moon is bright

Casting shadows in the night

The sun has set and all around

The people talk of demon clowns

And gird themselves for All Hallows Eve

For word has spread and all around

They gossip of the war to come

Battling the Goblin King

And all his hosts of night-time things

Make haste, make haste they tell each other

Gather candy, gather treats

For the demons of the night

Will take flight

And all we can battle with

Are gifts of love and sugar sweet

Let every child be anchored down

With burgeoning bags from trick or treat

So that not one will be lost

To the goblins or the ghouls

For they cannot carry a heavy load

So well we know the kiddies’ hearts

And with their loot they shall not part

Making for a weighty freight

And if this is not enough

We’ll hide the kiddies ‘neath wigs and stuff

We will arm them well, our children fair

Let goblins come, if they dare

Our children will run through the night

And never will they have the fright

Of seeing the Goblin King

T’is adults alone will have that sight

On the haunting Hallowe’en night

T’is glad I am that it’s but once a year

After which The Goblin King

Shall slink and slither to his lair

To await another year

 

 

 

 

 

All of this

All of this I commit to you

This fumbling, bumbling human error

Ah, but is it a mistake?

A flaw in the grand design,

Wires crossed and misshapen

Tangled beyond repair?

Yet here I stand before you

Covered in my scars

Blemishes abound

All of this, I commit to you

And you gently take in hand

All of life beneath

the swollen stars

That tumble through the night

And separate the strands

Upon the weary lands

Sick and poor

Wearied to the bone

You lift us to your heart

And gently breathe new life

Into what was thought

forever gone

Mercy rides again

upon its fiercest steed

Filling and completing

Replenishing each need

In fits and starts

to begin anew;

Wounds healed, bodies strengthened

And all of this I commit to you

All of this

Misery

Misery likes

Making people uncomfortable

It’s a gift, or maybe it’s a curse

The jury is still out on that one

Honesty is often not welcome

Concealing feelings is preferred by the vast majority

Misery may love company,

but company definitely do not want to hear, see, or feel misery

Misery reminds us of our fragile humanity

Or demands a response we are unwilling to give

To sit, holding the hand of one suffering misery

Is an endeavor many, if not most, choose to forego

And that’s okay

It only takes one

To comfort

Bless

Love

Forgive

Embrace

And relieve

Misery