Sunday, July 30, 2017

The Whale Does Not Remember

The whale does not remember
that it was once a land animal.
We do not remember roaming naked
in the forests of Africa.
Will we go beyond
and then forget
fossil fuels,
climate change,
and a cruel and violent
patriarchy?

The whale does not remember
its ungainly wading in the river.



Saturday, July 29, 2017

The Song of Life

I.
From the fortress of my nakedness
I go forth,
singer of songs,
speaker of dreams.
My voice is the sea,
reaching out to the life
that it has spawned.
My voice is the wind,
whispering in your ear.
I speak for them,
to a world grown deaf,
I speak for the earth,
I speak for time,
I speak for what was before time,
I speak for what still is,
and for what, singing,
shall yet be.

II.
I speak for the dream,
and for what is behind the dream,
I speak for waking,
I speak for the sun
and all its creatures,
for other suns
and other creatures
born of other light.
I speak for the light
and also for the darkness,
for the starry void
from which all this
has come.

III.
I speak from the heart of fire,
my words are tongues
that devour and purify.
I speak from the abiding silence of earth,
giving life and receiving it.
I speak from the movement of air,
informing all with life and thought.
I speak from the world of water,
birthing all life.
I speak from spirit,
from the breath of life,
moving this world and all worlds,
from a place before and beyond,
from a time that simply is.

IV.
I speak from the southwest of the cosmos
to its north, and its southeast,
to its northwest, its northeast,
and then back again,
from what is above,
and what is below,
from what there is to know
and from what there is to dream.

V.
I speak for the beginning and the end
that never were,
for him and her
that are the same,
a vibration
echoing through
the universe.

VI.
In the purity of the elements,
life will return
to the parched corn
of many colors.



Friday, July 28, 2017

Let Me Feel the Sun

Let me feel the sun
and wind on my body,
let me take root
in this land
like the coastal palm,
outlier of warmer climes,
signifier of sustenance
and community.
Let me be
me.



Thursday, July 27, 2017

From Ducker Rap Umpteen Eighty-Four

"I can't write to please
or to put you at ease
or entertain your ass
that's got no class.
I got to write it large:
There's a madman in charge,
there's a madman in charge.
...
His target is you,
his target is you."

--Little Ducker



Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Naturist Poet/Nature Poet

Naturist poet
or nature poet?
For me, there isn't
much difference.
I accept what is,
and don't lament
what isn't.
I see divinity
in everything,
and everything
in divinity.
Everyday
I give thanks
for all that
is beautiful
in nature,
including us.



Monday, July 24, 2017

You Have to Look Closely

You have to look closely
to see that the piece of shale
has faint impressions
of ancient flowers
on both sides.

You have to look closely
to see that the piece
of igneous rock
is actually a two-edged
stone knife.
It wasn't used much
before someone lost it.
No pockets.

You have to look closely
to see that the shale
was also worked
to use as a tool.

You have to look closely
or you don't see
anything.



Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Prayer for the World (+ptl, es, fr, eo)

Let the world not lack beauty,
for beauty is a blessing.
Let the world not lack truth,
for truth is our guide.
Let the world not lack mercy,
for mercy is the companion of truth.
Let the world not lack
the knowing of the heart,
for without it the knowing
of the brain is useless.
Let the world not lack stories,
for they tell us who we are.
Let the world not lack the courage
to right wrongs and sing songs.
Let the world not lack the sacred
elements of earth, air, fire,
water, and spirit
in all their purity,
for they sustain us.

Let there be love,
let there be joy,
let there be peace,
for without them
we cannot live.

To what goddess or god
do we turn in our need?
For all these things,
we must turn
to each other,
for we are father, mother,
sister, brother
to past, present, and future.

With a loving embrace
to make us strong,
having sung the song,
let us plant the seed.

[This poem is hereby given into the public domain.]




[portunhol surenho]

Que o mundo non tenha falta de beleza
porque a beleza é uma bensón.
Deixe ao mundo non faltar a verdade,
porque a verdade é o nosso guia.
Que o mundo non tenha falta de misericordia,
porque a misericordia é o companheiro da verdade.
Deixe ao mundo non faltá
o conhecimento do corazón,
pois sem ele o conhecimento
do cérebro é inútil.
Deixe ao mundo non faltá historias,
porque eles nos dizem quem somos.
Que o mundo non tenha falta da coragem
corrigir erros y cantar músicas.
Deixe ao mundo non faltá os sagrados
elementos de terra, ar, fogo,
água y espírito
em toda a sua pureza,
porque eles nos sustentam.

Que haja amor
que haja alegria
que haja paz
pois sem eles
nós non podemo viver.

A que deusa ou deus
nos voltamo em nossa necessidade?
Por todas estas coisas,
devemo nos voltar
uns aos outros,
porque somo pai, mae
irmá irmano
para o passado, presente y futuro.

Com um abrazo carinhoso
para nos tornar fortes,
tendo cantado a música,
vamo plantar a semente.

[Este poema é dado ao domínio público.]


[español]

Deja que el mundo no carezca de belleza,
porque la belleza es una bendición.
Que el mundo no carezca de verdad
porque la verdad es nuestra guía.
Que el mundo no carezca de misericordia,
porque la misericordia es la compañera de la verdad.
Que al mundo no le falte
el conocimiento del corazón,
porque sin él, el saber
del cerebro es inútil.
Que el mundo no carezca de historias,
porque ellas nos dicen quiénes somos.
Que el mundo no carezca de la valentía
corregir errores y cantar canciones.
Que el mundo no carezca de los sagrados
elementos de tierra, aire, fuego,
agua y espíritu
en toda su pureza,
porque ellos nos sostienen.

Deja que haya amor,
deja que haya alegría
que haya paz,
porque sin ellos
no podemos vivir.

¿A qué diosa o dios
nos volcamos en nuestra necesidad?
Para todas estas cosas,
debemos dirigirnos
el uno al otro,
porque somos padre, madre,
hermano hermana
al pasado, presente y futuro.

Con un abrazo cariñoso
para hacernos fuertes,
habiendo cantado la canción,
vamos a plantar la semilla.

[Este poema se entrega al dominio público.]


[français]

Que le monde ne manque pas de beauté,
car la beauté est une bénédiction.
Que le monde ne manque pas de vérité,
car la vérité est notre guide.
Que le monde ne manque pas de pitié,
car la miséricorde est la compagne de la vérité.
Que le monde ne manque pas
la connaissance du coeur,
car sans ça le savoir
du cerveau est inutile.
Que le monde ne manque pas d'histoires,
car elles nous disent qui sommes.
Que le monde ne manque pas de courage
redresser les torts et chanter des chansons.
Que le monde ne manque pas des sacrés
éléments de la terre, de l'air, du feu,
eau et esprit
dans toute leur pureté,
car ils nous soutiennent.

Qu'il y ait de l'amour,
qu'il y ait de la joie,
qu'il y ait la paix,
parce que sans eux
nous ne pouvons pas vivre.

À quelle déesse ou dieu
retournons-nous à notre besoin?
Pour toutes ces choses,
nous devons tourner
l'un à l'autre,
car nous sommes père, mère,
frère, soeur
du passé, présent et futur.

Avec une étreinte douce
pour nous rendre forts,
ayant chanté la chanson,
laissez-nous planter la graine.

[Ce poème est donné dans le domaine public.]


[esperanto]

Lasu ke la mondo ne manku belecon,
ĉar beleco estas benigo.
Lasu ke la mondo ne manku veron,
ĉar la vero estas nia gvidanto.
Lasu ke la mondo ne manku kompaton,
ĉar kompato estas la kunulo de la vero.
La mondo ne manku
la scion de la koro,
ĉar sen tio la scio
de la cerbo estas netaŭga.
Lasu ke la mondo ne manku rakontojn,
ĉar ili diras al ni, kiuj ni estas.
La mondo ne malhavu la kuraĝon
korekti maljustajxojn kaj kanti kantojn.
La mondo ne manku la sanktajn
elementojn de tero, aero, fajro,
akvo kaj spirito
en ilia tuta pureco,
ĉar ili subtenas nin.

Estu amo,
estu ĝojo,
estu paco,
ĉar sen ili
ni ne povas vivi.

Al kiu diino aŭ dio
ni turnos nin je nia bezono?
Pro ĉio ĉi tio,
Ni devas turni nin
unu al alia,
Ĉar ni estas patro, patrino,
fratino, frato
de l'pasinteco, ĉeestanto, kaj estonteco.

Kun amema brakumo
por fortigi nin,
kantinte la kanton,
Ni plantu la semon.

[Ĉi tiu poemo estas donita al la publika domajno.]

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Clear Channel

The episodes of this life
have formed a conduit
through which knowledge
can pass.
If any of them
were not present,
the gravity lens
would be weakened,
and focus lost.
Every life
must be lived,
every day
and every hour,
to keep the channel
clear.



Monday, July 17, 2017

My sis, Patricia, on why stealing has become "normal:" "It's the Trumpian win-lose culture--ethics, morals, and the good of your fellow humans has never been any part of it for them. It's just all about winning, and that means doing whatever you have to do to win, no matter who gets hurt."

[Patricia, by the way, is a fine and very well known poet.]

Sunday, July 16, 2017

O You Who Have No Culture

O you who have no culture
but the culture of greed,
lying, and deceit,
we will bury you
with our new culture
of love, respect,
and truth.
If there were a hell
other than the one
you're making,
We'd send you
straight to it.
But you will have time,
if not freedom,
to consider
your foolishness
as you diminish
past the point
of invisibility,
not worth
our time
or consciousness.



I Can No Longer

I can no longer bury myself
in books and ancient languages,
falling back on a patriarchal culture
that is killing us
and destroying the planet.
Now is the time
to create what we seek
through love,
in solidarity indivisible,
and be the world
of our desire.



Saturday, July 15, 2017

I'm happy to be able to say that my poetry blog has had over 15,000 visits since its opening in October 2016. Thanks for your support. / Me place poder decir que, desde su apertura en octubre de 2016, mi blog de poesía ha tenido más de 15.000 visitas. Gracias a todxs por su apoyo..

No Illustration Needed

He has separated himself
from love and life,
and allied himself
with hatred and death.
In the name and service
of greed,
he has given to the rich
and to the dishonest,
and stolen from those most
in need.
Who will follow?
Who will feel the need?

[No illustration needed--we all know
who this is about.]

I Take Delight

I take delight
in nakedness,
because I am
nakedness.

I take delight
in nature,
because I am
nature.

I take delight
in life,
because I am
life.

I take delight
in energy,
because I am
energy.

I take delight
in light,
because I am
light.

I take delight
in love,
because I am
love.

I take delight
in peace,
because I am
peace.

I take delight
in justice,
because I am
justice.

I take delight
in you,
because we are
one.



It Is Time

I.
It is time,
time to transcend
old ways
and beliefs,
time to right
the wrongs,
to put faith
where it belongs,
to hear our cry:
that women and men
were born to live,
not waiting to die,
and will live
again and again.
Women do not
belong to men,
and all life
in the Universe
has rights
equal to ours.
Morality is not
negative,
but is love's
imperative,
and whatever
number you give
to the Trinity,
S/HE
will transcend it.
Hear our call:

Hear, O Universe,
our God/dess
is All.

II.
and we shall live,
as in the beginning we did,
from the heart,
the brain playing
its secondary
part,
so that while staying
alive,
all
may
thrive.

III.
We must go forward
and not back,
for in violence
and in war,
in hatred
and in domination,
in greed,
in patriarchy,
there is nothing
to go back to.

IV.
When the inside
is like the outside,
pure Divinity,
then you will be
free.



Friday, July 14, 2017

Two Dreams, Probably Indicative

In the first dream, I had a handgun, it looked like a WWII-era military .45 automatic, but it was actually .22 caliber and had a cool barrel extender that increased accuracy and muzzle velocity, I wonder if such a gun actually exists. I could ask D. Brian, who lives in the Dakotas and knows more about handguns than anyone I've ever met, but I unfollowed him on Ello for, predictably, being a Trumpist. Anyway, I don't know where I got the gun, but it was mine. I wanted to use it for quite an inappropriate task: to put a small, neat, round hole in the side of a metal tube that was a bit like a penny whistle--just on one side. I don't know why in the dream I thought I could do that, when in real life I couldn't hit the broad side of a galpón with any handgun.

The other dream had a context that I can't seem to remember, but the strange part was that in the dream I was trying to tell someone where I lived and couldn't come up with the name of the country. I think the strangeness of that was what woke me up. Once awake, I could simply have looked at the gorgeous, dark blue passport with the gold-leaf shield-seal on it. It was a simple matter, though, to start with the name of its most characteristic (though minority) language and work backwards from that. Without too much trouble, I deduced that I lived in Portunha. La Isla de Bona Portunha. We are very happy here, though a little strange . . .


Thursday, July 13, 2017

Tamo perdido

Tamo perdido en meio
da naturaleza que buscamo,
até que, por fin,
os papagaios
empecen a falar.



We Are Lost

We are lost in the midst
of the nature that we seek
until, at long last,
the parrots
begin to speak.



We Are All Victims

We are all victims
of the strategies of power.
Blindly we feel our way
through a hijacked democracy,
limping toward
a better day.





Sunday, July 9, 2017

When you stop trying to control things that you can't control, you begin to be free.



С другой стороны, пиратство - это бесплатная публикация. Если вы можете заработать на этом деньги, по крайней мере, кто-то это сделает.

Sunday, July 2, 2017

I will not permit my work to be stolen without a fight. Я не допущу, чтобы моя работа была украдена без боя.

Saturday, July 1, 2017

PSALM 34 (35)

Judge, O Lord, my enemies,
fight against those
who do battle with me.
Take up shield and spear
and rise to my aid.
Unsheathe your sword
and harry from the front
those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
"I am your salvation."
Let those who seek my life
be shamed and awed,
let those who plan
evil against me
be turned back
in confusion,
let them be as dust
before the face of the wind,
and may the angel of the Lord
drive them.
Let their way be dark
and slippery, and let the angel
of the Lord pursue them.
For without reason they hid
their insidious snares for me,
without cause they dug
a pit for my life.
Let come to him
a calamity unknown,
and may the net that he hid
catch him, and may he
fall into the snare.
But my soul will exult
in the Lord,
and will rejoice
in his salvation.
All my bones will say,
"Lord, who is like you,
delivering the needy
from those more powerful,
and the poor and beggars
from those who despoil them?"
False witnesses rose against me,
asking me things that I did not know,
they returned evil to me for good,
and desolation to my soul.
But I, when they troubled me,
put on sackcloth,
I humbled my soul with fasting,
and my prayer shall return
to my breast.
I behaved as a friend,
as a brother,
I was bent with sadness
as one mourning his mother,
and they took joy in my infirmity
and gathered around,
stabbers gathered against me
and I did not know it,
slashers, and they did not
stay silent, but in simulation
of false words they gnashed
their teeth against me.
How long, O Lord,
will you look on?
Deliver my soul from
their calamities,
and my life from the lions.
I shall acknowledge you
in the great congregation,
and in the midst of a strong people
I shall praise you.
Let not my lying enemies
rejoice over me,
nor wink the eye
those who hate me
without cause.
For they do not speak peace,
but in pillaging the land
conceive words of deceit.
They opened their mouths against me,
saying, "good, good, our eyes have seen it."
You saw, O Lord,
do not stay silent.
O Lord, do not be far from me.
Rise up and attend to my judgment,
O my Lord and my God,
to my case.
Judge me according to your righteousness,
O Lord my God,
and let them not insult me,
let them not say in their hearts,
"good, we have our soul's desire,"
let them not say,
"we have swallowed him up."
Let them blush and be in awe,
those who rejoice at my affliction.
Let those who magnify themselves
above me dress in bashfulness and shame.
Let those who desire my vindication
give praise and be glad,
and let them say always
may the Lord be praised
who wishes peace
for his servant.,
and my tongue shall tell
your justice
and your praise
all the day.