Listen

animal animal photography barbaric big

Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

 

Listen.

When the scalp prickles.

When the child speaks.

When the gut tightens.

Listen to the heart’s whisper.

 

Listen.

To the hiss, the words, the warning,

Of the wrong step, person, choice.

When the lonely days make you desperate,

When you long for a caress,

When the body shouts loud,

Listen to the heart’s whisper.

 

Listen.

It’s so easy to get caught,

Trapped by legal fishnets,

By a house, by a promise.

Listen to that whisper,

the soft, the soul,

the voice that knows.

 

And follow.

 

 

7-31-20

Seeds

 

person holding a green plant

Photo by Akil Mazumder on Pexels.com

– a tribute to John Lewis and teachers who lead

 

The blessing is in the seed.

 

I have known the planting of seeds—

seeds of song, seeds of poems, seeds of the work of words.

 

The blessing is let me show you.

The seed is now you do it.

 

The blessing is you have learned.

The seed is now teach another.

 

I have known the planting of seeds—

seeds of love, seeds of kindness, seeds of the comfort of words.

 

The blessing is let me hold you.

The seed is now hold another.

 

The blessing is I see you.

The seed is to listen.

 

The blessing is in the truth.

The seed is yours to tell.

 

 

7-30-20

*first line from Elegy in Joy by Muriel Rukeyser