Auspicious beginning: 06/20/2016

(A Pantoum for Arlo Alexander Patterson)

Hello Arlo, hello world you see;

hello earth wind and fire, hello air;

the summer solstice beckoned your way--  

the strawberry moon blessed your day         

Hello earth wind and fire, hello air,

Aquarian, changeling, adventurer be;

the strawberry moon blessed your path,

father of earth, son of the sea.

Aquarian, changeling, adventurer be

the thunderbolt and wounded healer he,

father of earth, son of the sea,

rest now, then wake, discover this hour

Be wounded healer and thunderbolt power 

the strawberry moon blessed your birthday--

rest now, then wake, discovery this hour.

Hello Arlo, hello world you see.

(so far, everything except Gemini)

Duality of existence

I know a lot of things now

and now that I know this

I know nothing.

Once I had a lot of things

and now I have less

I need nothing.

Sometimes I am here.

Sometimes I am not.

Well, I am here,

but not engaged in being here.

To move between the two

requires motivation.

To be motivated

requires belief in significance.

Shoal

I love to take my canoe to the leviathan

to glide over its dangerous hulking mass

just inches below the cedar canoe keel

It is an anticipatory thrill as great thunder

my stomach dropping, no breath, tingling neck

approach and avoidance in one

Making a home

when I come back in another life

I want to buy houses

and renovate kitchens

and plant gardens

and then move on

and buy another house

and renovate another kitchen

and plant another garden

and put fresh flowers

into the house

and make it a home

when I come back in another life

I want to buy houses

and renovate kitchens

and plant gardens

and work in the sunshine

and build fires in the winter

and then

I want to do it all again

and again and again

until I am home

in my heart

The airport

Musing upon arrival

reviewing my trip

the weather, the kids, the food –

all restoring my desire to

continue the farce

and then,

a little ahead I see a couple

side by side

and in a instant

they glance at one another

smile, lightly embrace

a side by side hug

and it was all over.

Everything about the week

was all over

in an instant.

Good dream

(4 verses with 4 lines and 4 beats per line)

It’s been eight years

since I saw you

and was neither

sad nor broken.

You held my hand

I was consoled

it seemed normal

I was happy,

No hospital

bed in the bed

room and no look

of vacancy.

Now, when I sleep

I know I can

see you and be

at peace all night.

O Come, O Come Emanuel

Hush daughter, breath low and slow, low and slow.

Imagine a cross-section of a lake --

its surface at eye level smooth and blank

when nine pebbles (in a line) fall to the depths below.

Hush daughter, be still and silent as stone,

We may march into that cold lake of lost souls.

We will wade into the water of fears.

And white skin will soak up our blood, sweat, and tears.

Wake daughter, and run, and cry, run and cry

Nine bullets dragged their bodies through the veil.

Grab each one and become the tattered kite tail

as all fly above and pierce the sky.

Rise up daughter and blast into the light.

We shall overcome the tale of that sorry night.