
There is then and there is now
before and after
There is
the difference between
occupied and vacant
Pulse
Breath
break
Silence
these bare walls
There is then and there is now
before and after
There is
the difference between
occupied and vacant
Pulse
Breath
break
Silence
these bare walls
While I lay restless dreaming
Moon slipped behind the mountain
Still I trust she was there
I am a reliable witness to events past
Therefore—
In the lambent light of this new morning
Remnants of my vivid dreamscape linger
A part of me remains present there
A mime with an indecipherable message
While I sip cinnamon coffee, breathe slow, read words from my morning text
Then read the same line again to embed
Both there and here
Presence and Absence
Which scene is this then and what act
Who’s offstage to feed my forgotten lines
Is the sky out my window the opening
Or the denouement
Is there a pause feature in this plot
I have questions to answers I think you know
At the close of each year
I like to reflect upon all
to note what it is I might have learned
before releasing the past forever to
the freedom of prevailing winds
Then I inhale deep and smile
my gaze upon the new year’s opening sky
anticipating the fledgling wonders
unfolding like a boardwalk through
the forest light of future exploring
Endings and Beginnings
Silences between
Gratitude for every moment
Every song and every scene🪶
Voice of steady calm
deeper then deeper still
Distractions tossing pebbles
soft rain upon windowglass
Drawstrings of a satin bag
closing loosening bound escapees
Crumbs dropping in silence
a straw grass collection plate
All those memory hallways
nebula of evermore faded rainbows
Maybe mindfulness intends
less nothing more everything
Freedom for wandering
fragments thought long gone to dust
Dimming of the day
walking away from twilight gold
Feel the weight of its cloak
River Lee’s flowing down slow
through Cork town into the Celtic Sea
She’s never looking back
at who she leaves behind
Sheep watch with curiosity ready
for flight should you become dangerous
Talk soft like you place your boots
hoping there’s no bog below to seep in
Green is green
Ocean’s wild
You’re an actor in this epic scene
You alone with your whispers and wonder
Lean into stone window for faerie views
No one but painted sheep to question you
Waves on the sand
carry letters
whisper stories
All we are is motion
balance on the wind
Sit on that bench awhile
Look up at that sky
Listen to the birds call
Imagine what they talk about
Early one morning when you’re feeling glad
Grateful just to be still around
Lace up your boots and start walking
Up around the corner
Climb some hill
Take that stick waiting
There among the ferns
Grip it like a sheep herder
Like some old woman or man
Yes, keep on moving
But pause for breath too
There is time enough for everything
If you value the precious in you
Inappropriate footwear
slows the pace
mind your steps
mind the path ahead
mind the earth below
mind your mind
pause for quiet homage
pause for gratitude
raise your gaze highway
from beneath the grace of shade
one hundred years standing
balsam poplar still reaches
to touch the edge of summer clouds
One lonesome dove cry
Late afternoon clouds drifting
Silence between breaths