Seeking out the Essential.

It's ok
I don't know the way
Either
So let's make our own path
Parts of it may be draped in dark
But we'll keep our eye on the light
-Leave all that appears to be
And follow only that, which is essential
-Strip away the vines
That clutter and cloud our minds
Let them fall by the wayside
Clearing the road for us to walk
Side by side
Without fear, without inhibition
And embracing the unknown
-Leaving compasses and maps at home
In acceptance that we'll never know the way
...And that it's ok
Because all that's left is
Now, and what is,
Is today.

The Femi-nine.

1.And she will care for you
2.But you must show her respect
3.And she will nurture your potential
4.But you must honour her with love
5.And she will show you her glory
6.But you must not abuse it
7.And she will support you 'til your dying day
8.But you too, must prove loyal in your love
9.And in return for your honesty and commitment, she will show you the beauty of strength without force, strength in revealing one's vulnerability, and the strength to choose love over fear.

-That is mother nature
-That is mother earth
-That is a woman's love.

Doing the Gardening.

You are a garden

- Water your heart
With truth and trust
And you will bloom

- Open your eyes
They are the windows
To your soul,
So let the sun shine in
And you will grow

And like the flower
- Worry not of tomorrow
Or what has gone before,
Simply raise your head to the sun
And fill this moment
With radiant colour.

I believe in me
I hope you believe in you
Then we can believe in each other
With far more conviction.

Ode to Friends.

You smile, you smile
Everything
Is simple to me

You laugh, you laugh
The load is
Much lighter to bare

Your eyes, your eyes
I am home
I am home in them

Simple, simple
Life is simple with you

Simple, simple
Life just makes sense
Sense when you

You smile, you smile
Everything
Is simple to me.

The Home That Was.

The letting go
Of everything I've come to know
As home
Has begun...

Every thread of experience
I've wove
To keep myself warm
Shall not be undone
-If anything
It's true warmth has just begun
To grow
Around me as I go...

As I leave this home
I've come to know
And hold so dear
Yet, if I didn't leave it here
Now,
I'd only be holding onto fear
The fear of leaving itself:
Postponing
A closing chapter
On the edge of a new

But nothing can remain
Very few
Things stay the same
And the one's that do
Only grow to blame
The chances they threw
On others, on situations
Instead of their own fears
Of starting anew

Starting a fresh
I put this chapter to rest
And breathe in a new breath
Here, on the edge of the unknown
Is what I choose now,
To call my home.

“For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person's life at a given moment.”

Viktor E. Frankl (1905-1997), psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor

At Ease.

Soft eyes
Soft hands

Her eyes smile
My heart expands

She says nothing
But I know
She knows
What's ahead, what's coming

Now let me hear you play
And I play
And for the first time ever
I wasn't afraid...

And I wished I could sit
For hours in that kitchen
Everything here was ok
Tea on the stove
Toast on the counter
Plants swaying in the breeze

She came and she went
And in between, she put my soul at ease

Soft eyes
Soft hands

Her eyes smile
And I believe that I can

She says nothing
But I know
The wisdom in her silence
Tells me her story with such presence

And now I hope to sit
Others in my own kitchen
Where they can feel
Everything is ok
With tea on the stove
Toast on the counter
Plants swaying in the breeze

I am here now, but I too, will go
And in between,
I hope I can put another's soul at ease.

One.

We were one
But too many see
'Us and them'
'Me and you'
And divided we become

But we were one
Still, too many wait
Standing at truth's gate:
Afraid to let go and open
-Waiting,
Til' their dying day
Or for tragedy to strike
And strip away
All the judgments
All the grudges
All the doubts
All the opinions
All the fears
And false notions
Of what life is all about

Behind these walls
We were one
-We still are
But these walls stop us
From seeing that far
From seeing inside
-The ties
Of common humanity that resides
-Housed in these humble human shells
Is an eternal story to tell

About a time when we were one.

But these days
Too many are washed up
On life's shore
After a lifetime of waiting
Of separating
'Us and them'
'Me and you'
Until one day
Death comes to tell us what we always knew
But hid away...

And as we let go and come undone
We finally realise, we finally see
That we were one
And we always will be.

Not a Poem.

Ok, so tonight for the first time ever, I'm not writing a poem, just an entry...a comment on my day, so that I can remember how good this particular one felt today.

Why? And how was it different to any other day? It wasn't really - I mean, I did meet some wonderful people and was offered a pretty damn cool opportunity. And while this stuff ultimately changes my situation for the better, it's still all just situational. Actually, the magic happened on my walk home from the city...

Every so often, I reckon you just get in touch with the bigger picture, but often, where you least expect it, or via lots of little pictures! - For me, it's always been the breeze. That cool flow that can take you by surprise at any given moment, and is (to me) nature's way of saying 'chill out, it's all gonna be ok!!' Whether I'm doing the dishes at my kitchen window, or, (like tonight) walking home through the city in the evening, that cool ocean breeze always catches my attention and makes me feel truly alive. And it's at these times where I could even go as far as saying, that they have been some of the happiest moments of my life. Why? I guess because it's not attached to anything - I'm just simply breathing in, and breathing out, seeing and living in that very moment. - Small moments of living from within, and not through external things or projected ideas.

And for that moment, however fleeting, I can truly glimpse that all this stuff around me, is just that: stuff. What I do for a living is certainly a great vehicle for learning about life, and it supports my situation, but it's not life. Life just is. As Tom Robbins says 'Everything else is just lipstick'. True that.

Tonight I caught one of these glimpses on my way home, and I noticed the way the evening light hit the old trees along the streets. And it was beautiful. And I felt the edge of Winter in the air. And the freshness was electric. And I felt the breeze in my hair. And I felt at peace.

Then when I got home, I finally met the mysterious old man that lives on the ground floor, and is always bathed in green light from an ol' school lamp in his study (which faces the street). He is always writing. Always. And smoking cigars. Like out of a movie. And tonight, we 'met' as he held the door to the building for me, while giving me the warmest smile, with the kindest of eyes. And I felt as if my heart would pop!

Glimpses of the essence of life. Glimpses of humanity. All just little pictures collaged together, to make up, and remind us of the bigger picture: To be joyful, simply because we are alive.

Taking Aim.

Often I take aim
And though I may miss my target
It's always in view
-Keeping me centered
On purpose,
On what is true...
At least, for me

You see,
What I do
Will always be different from,
And may make no sense to you
And it may render me, at times
Alone, in my quests
Still, I'll try my best
'Til the end

And 'til the end, my friend
Let's celebrate;
That, which makes no sense
While in our quest for the answers
We learn of the resonance
Of being
And of seeing
Our differences as unique
And each other,
As fearless freaks
-Of our own beautiful nature

And nurture,
May we always nurture,
Our attention to direction
-The compass in our chest
It always faces skyward
And knows what is best
-Knows where to take aim...

All the same,
We may miss our targets
But it's really just one big game
That we all play
But should play with all our hearts

From start,
To the finish
-Taking aim

And though I may never hit my targets,
It's the near-misses
-The detours
That help me see more clearly;
It's actually the aim,
That outweighs meeting the target
In this game...

Yet, it is with the target in view
That which, keeps me in tune
And reminds me of the journey
Back to center
Back to purpose
Back to what is intrinsic
And true.

Music is life.

I am drunk on the sound
How can music
Make us feel so much
Without a touch?

And move us beyond this world,
Beyond our skin...

-It's proof enough
Of the vast space within,
Home to the music of life
That animates our beings.