~Religion~

Preface to Religion​

There are so many why's that will always remain unanswered—Faith can help rescue us from madness. Though I'm not a church goer,—I have a deep faith; and, feel that Faith is one of man's basic emotions. I believe that religion is, like integrity, what you do when you're alone,—when you think no one's watching. And, from my limited understanding of the world's great religions, they all seem to be organized around a basic precept, the Golden Rule—"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I believe in the catechism of the heart.

As far as God goes—¿How does puny mind attempt to describe the Universe, Infinity, Time, . . .? Comprehension cannot contain a concept vast or wide enough to understand what God could be. Whatever It is, I think It would want us to use the little bit of mind that we are endowed with to understand our situation.

Words can hint at the feelings Faith prompts us with. And, I think a prayer of Thanks for Life is always a welcome offering.

 

One Prayer

"Still white—charcoal smudge, crescent moon shone down,
I ran and ran beneath her pale wan face."

15 November 2004
Corpus Christi, Texas

—"•"—

I am aged Jewish traditions,
Mentalities reaching to G-d,
Prayers always brewing near heart.

I am Christian thoughtfulness,
Weaving music-math-&-physics,
Religiousness in the world.

I am calm Buddhist gentleness,
Spirit outreaching Nirvana,
Bringing love to all wo-mankind.

I am fast Muslim devoutness,
Bowing daily in submission,
To Allah's superior will.

I am Shinto naturalness,
Unifying man-rock-wind-tree,
Finding unique Oneness,—the All.

I am Confucian simple,
Devotion to community,
Practical civility's call.

I am Sufi mysticism,
Twirling dervish finding life's spin,
Enchanting heart's lyric longings.

I am Hindu fertility,
Seeking and enhancing warm life,
Cradling and loving all creatures.

Our many differences clear;
Our similarities opaque;
Yet when we chant we say the same,—
One Holy prayer—¡Peace on Earth!

—"•"—​

 

A Little Daily Prayer

"Sometimes I say this 'fore sleep,
Unknowing if I'll ever wake again."

Lord give me patience,
To see hidden ways,
Understand life's heart.

Measure full each day,
Thank each breath exhaled,
Treasure heartbeat's sound,
Fight with kindness all.

Mirror truth inside,
Hold dear & pure faith,
Nurture child within,
Tame adult without.

Sip sweet water-clean,
Solve puzzles inspir'd;
Run long distance ways,
Swim repeating waves.

Play gently guitar,
Sing chants baritone,
Savor honey'd kiss,
Dance-frenzy night's love.

See cloud's wind as voice
For a planet live,
Feel your touch in all,
Learn to die at last.​

 

Shul

"A temple temporal,
To pray & prophecy."

7 September 2004

Golden throated hidden nightingale,
Enchanting scaled your warbling song,
Upon autumn's branch your gentle grasp.

Cooling days bring soft your mystic voicings
Wafting through the darkening woods
Sun's slanting rays streaming cathedral

Red-brown-yellow carpet narrow path
Rustle-footsteps passing lady slippers,
Every sense enhanced—Zen-state magical.​

 

Billow Pillows

Ocean waves murmur when they strike the shore,
Clouds chime calmly coasting cool clear currents.

18 October 2004
AA to San Diego, California

Streak'd cirrhus sleeps in domed sparkling sky blue,
Her white striated dissipating curls
Unwinding clear dream world of jet stream'd flows.

Whilst immortals soft speaking hushed wonders
At high sparkling diffusions suspiring
Sighing-lighting swiftly twirling miming
Formed symbols scripted timing ting'd moments,

Cassandra's language beyond words divulged
Swirling whorled diminished ninth fingerprints,
Sweet spirit's melody crisp resounding,
Streaming, beaming heaven's choir angelic

Unbelieving mankind's uncaring world,—
Fearing looking intuition's twilight,
Highest vaulted singing, painted passion.​

 

Clitic

"Twelve March Nineteen Ninety One,
Planning trip to the North Pole,
All cold-lonely floes and flow."

3 October 2004
Corpus Christi, Texas

……"•"……

We fear the choices heart makes gaily,
Dreading repartitions miserly,
Unknowing copenetrations lie,
Trepidating soul's passivity.

¿Where is Bethlehem's nativity?
Entrusting us in faith's purity,
Leading us far from mortality,
To reflectivity's surety.

……"•"……

Clitic describes a word bound to another. To go to the North Pole up the Siberian strait's shallows in a submerged submarine requires the ice to be thinned enough to allow a safe passage between the frozen sea and the strait's bottom.

……"•"……​

 

Dreaming (echo 1)

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"In an ancient land our oldest home,
We find our transitory permanence."

8 September 2004

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Sunrise—distant peaks,
Pyramids glow silver-light,
Sun on limestone sides,
Something isn't right,
¿Am i dreaming? ka

Sunlight—glittering waters,
Sacred River winds snake,
Mystic land of wonder,
With every breath I take,
¿Are we dreaming? ka of the people

Sunlight—flood-land farms,
Wheat and barley, pomegranates,
All 'round restful calm,
¿Too good to be true?
¿Am I dreaming? Ka of the Pharaoh.

Sunlight—palace-temple,
White-washed houses, half-built tombs,
Wind blows cool and gentle,
¿Lost all too soon?
¿Are We dreaming? Ka of the Gods.

Sunlight—harsh and bright,
Barren wasteland stretches,
Destroys land once gave life.
Tears for what used to be.

I wish I was dreaming.
We wish We were waking. All of the Kas.

‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡

Ka in ancient Egypt (two raised arms, note the Bhudda has folded arms) was the human double (soul). Ka of the Gods represented an individuality, Ka of Kings represented inheritance and succession, Ka of the common people related to family and ancestors and lastly the person's Ka.

‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡‡ˆÿÿˆ‡​

 

Faith's Devotion

Revelation Told Her: "¡You Are My Delight!"

12 June 2004
Madison, Wisconsin

She wrote her own memorial
And sang the dirge beforehand well,
Encircled them with loving grace.

Some whisperers quietly quipped,
"¡How strange this sad entertainment,
Corpse, so cold's the main celebrant!"

But the Rosary of Divine Mercy
Was scripted in her daily thoughtfulness:
"My whole existence was a prayer to God.
Who kind gave me a beauteous singing voice
& Though each long hour these past few hard years,

Diseased, in pain, no motion capable,
Some precious gift of His gave back each day,
'Til now I'm but a ragged, shredded rag,

His Love in Everpresence,
He glad daily gave to me."​

 

Friend's Prayer

"A fight against mad men who think that death,
Is but the start of holiness on earth."

9 November 2004
Corpus Christi, Texas

I light a votive candle,
But find an old one clear flames,
Wax residue dim glowing,
Wick's remnants weak glow smolder;

So feeble an ash ember,
Despite its fate, bright endures,—
Now used to spark a new one.

So my hope that peace will come,
Before strife consumes us all;
So that my friends can come home,
Therefore prayers, protect all.​

 

Our Daily Bread

Happiness Is Daily Understanding

19 May 2004
Corpus Christi, Texas

Heart oscillates,—clock unwinding,
Cycloid beat,—reacts receptive,
To yesterday's misperceptions,

¿Down or Up?
¿ Sad or Glad?
¿Cold or Hot?
¿Dark or Bright?
¿Left or Right?
¿Sour or Sweet ?

If I could cast nets
To haul in your thoughts,
& Glean emotions confused;
Harvest true kernels,
That only you can tender.

I might from these corns
Bake unicorn bread,
That we could daily share,
& With red wine give grace.​

 

New Year's Eve 2005

31 December 2004
Corpus Christi, Texas

Every day's a special festivity,
A celebration of felicity,—
Flavors savored without celerity,
Anonymous,—without celebrity.

Anticipating soul's nativity,
No doubts—worrying about perfidy,
For life's more comedy than tragedy.

Although at times with mordant parody,
Reflecting life's abundant panoply,
That for all heartbeats will bring threnody,
But, even that song—Full bright harmony.​

 

All the Little Things

10 January 2005
Corpus Christi, Texas

Devotion's charity is daily chores,
Little things that others often call "bores,"

Done caringly—even with creaking bones,
Small acts—Love's contrition fond soul atones.

Cleaning a toilet or baking warm scones,—
Removing—using, bacterial spores.

But, hearts grown greedy & harder than stones,
Bring every thing, except charm, into homes;

It's hard when everyone is keeping scores;
So,—look inside for mining shiny ores:

Heart's true treasures clear,—¡They're the only ones!
Will truly take you to God's distant shores.​

 

Early Morning Quest

10 January 2005
Corpus Christi, Texas

We go through life and leave not faintest trace,
So thorough we have cleansed our minds of hope,
And all our daily goings on a lace,
Unwilling surfeit paid by misanthrope.

¿How do we play this game without an ace?
¿Without each day a bout of drink and tope?
¿Maintain poor heart inconstant,—steady pace?
¿Redoubt soul's firmament so it's no trope?

Let us then resolve to not self abase,
Absolve ourselves of negation—Nay's dope,
Filling up with wonderment all time's space,
So with resounding joy we find our place,

For to all the many things that we chase,
As we strive and struggle in mortal race,
We need not rush in sprint, just jog and lope,
Finding in activity our true grace.​

 

Blood Flood

13 January2005
Corpus Christi, Texas

Arctic weather descended again south,
I shivered as I went to donate blood.
Though my full history knowing for years,
Endless questions still required my answers.

I hydrated with some cold, clear water,
Which lowered even more my frigid temp.
She gabbed & lathered iodine on skin,
Making purple the soft area above vein.

I squeezed hard and she pushed sharp needle in,
Piercing pain shot through my forearm's nerve length;
Readjusting three times to get it right,—
Relaxed & focused on the end in sight,

It didn't matter where the hurt came from,
I thought of those my blood would someday help,
& Warmth raced out from somewhere near my heart;
& Filled my body with an inner glow.​

 

Bleached The Night Brings Hope

19 January 2005
Norfolk, Virginia

Fondly gentle white falls on our life,
Covering foul gray with pulchritude,
Leaving us with sometime, passing hope,
That short hours perfection can reside,
In a world of maddening desire.

Where half-man, half-evil doth conspire,
To suppress little things that inspire,
Even though poor soul would blood perspire,
Before letting ambition expire,
Is this such a great thing to desire?​

 

I Read It in the 'Good Book'

18 January 2005
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

Precision down to the microsecond,
Concordance relating 1 verse to 2;
Every passage, fair or foul, with its tab,
Magnifying loop to read fine writing,

Engrossed,—details, particularities,
¿Would substitution another word do?
They didn't write using any vowels,
Nice, . . . for a script so terse we still can use,

Transmogrifying meanings to suit us,
For good or evil, as we make ditties,
& Stretch gleanings across millennia,

Distort purposes,—bitter polemics,
Using one side of a long argument,
From a tribe no different than the rest,—

To make Holy our murder & our rape.​

 

At Death's Gate

20 January 2005
AA 1465 Virginia Beach to Dallas

Methuselah's long patience,
Doth well dispose our soul's dwell,
Abiding time's gentle flow,
Slow chews possibility,

Full realization,
Mortality waits each hour,
Watching, crouching tigress fierce,

In an instant devours soul,
Yet, dire peril shakes us not,
Calmly we walk to Death's jaws.​

 

Parul

26 January 2005
AA from San Diego to Dallas

Delicate purple-brown lips smiling broad,
Framed perfect female symmetry divine,
Her voice sang melodies of myrrh and spice,
Flowing mellifluous inspiring heart;

Flowered beauty so precise—deep black eyes,
Sparkling facets multiple ebony,
Far millennia fair bred in Brahmin,
¡O, to have been born into that priesthood!

Although abandoned wearing Bindi red,
She still believes love only fitting when,
Two meet alike in caste & circumstance,
Merging of bloods culled by Kali's sharp sieve,

God's manifested pantheon Hindu,
More counts than man's heart offered in true love;
Her grandmother voices that now her choice,
Lies between men divorced and widowers;

My wizened heart looks out in empathy,—
Youth knoweth not to look beyond brief words.​

 

Everything

23 January 2005
Point Loma, San Diego

To give with only loving,
To laud while truly praising,

To pray for only caring,
To walk with lowly no ones,

To sing with heart's true ringing,
To live with soul's true feeling,

To this I give my life's all.​

 

Between Black & White

30 January 2005
Corpus Christi, Texas

¿What is this gray we often talk about?

¿Is it blue swirl—smoke rising from red flames?
¿Is it haze clouds—playfully jousting sky?
¿Is it fond heart—dismayed tiring of life?

But, more's to gray than extreme black & white,—
For it has turquoise tinges that upwell,
When fire is lit and sanguine glows life's heat;

Then, more's to sky's rotation than mere joy,—
For it has movement light & aerie fluff,
When mountains tousle careless tendrilled hair;

And, more's to soul than moment's dismal sad,
For it has moods uplift emotions high,
When gladdened ecstasy fills up sweet time.​