Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Zhuang Zi

Photo by S. Auberle

"Now I do not know
whether I was then a man
dreaming I was a butterfly,
or whether I am now
a butterfly dreaming
I am a man."

Zhuange Zi

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

BEE TIME

Photo by S. Auberle

this morning I walked out under this old apple tree and stood there, mesmerized by the electric humming of bees...

"Last night I dreamed--blessed illusion--
that I had a beehive here
in my heart
and that the golden bees were making
white combs and sweet honey
from my old failures.
~  Antonio Machado
(translated by Robert Bly)

Friday, May 11, 2012

FOR MOM

Photo from photo booth.

An old poem from my book "Saturday Nights at the Crystal Ball,"
published by Cross+Roads Press,  2008

HOW DO YOU MEASURE LOVE?

By an old letter the color of tea,
a photo tucked in a drawer,
Mama's rose-covered Mexican shawl
saved to warm me for the day she'd be gone.

Spring is early this year,
the tulips she planted
beginning to emerge and
I dream often of her.

Sometimes she's pale and weak,
sometimes young, vibrant
and laughing.  We walk then,
Mama and I, as we once did

and I show her a crow's nest
high in the tall pine,
the white bones of a deer
returning to earth.

Outside dreamtime
the seasons turn.
They are no longer measured
by the size of my sorrow.


Thursday, May 03, 2012

GREEN WOMAN

Photo by S. Auberle

you have done this before,
you are certain of it,
in other lifetimes, perhaps,

fallen to your knees, like today
before these new goddesses:
trout lily, hepatica,
trillium, marybell...

you feel something ancient
unfurling in your heart
something buried deep
and long ago.

From childhood you have known the forest--
your lover, mother, cathedral,
friend--each plant and stone
pulling you earthward

each spiral of unfolding leaf beckoning:
come, bed in the tender moss,
smell, touch, burrow deep...

You fear, one day,
a siren call,
an irresistable day
when a god rolls over
in the flowers, invites you
to stay and play,
a day on which
you may not return.

poem first published in my book, Crow Ink,
2009 by Little Eagle Press...

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

APRIL'S GONE GOLD

Forsythia photo by S. Auberle

sunny
morning
south
wind
stirs
April's
gone
gold