the hand that takes yours,the feet walking by your side.the breath shared,and the sweat mingled.respect the scars thatremind you of yourself….respect the lovethat gives all without regret!

the broken pane,the house where no one lives!the worn out shoes,the guitar in the closet,the child with cancerstaring from the window…the book signed and forgottenbeneath the pillow,the shotgun in the corner,eyes painted that hide.the telephone that doesnt ring,love stains on the sheet.the old man trying to bum a cup of coffee,and the young girl behind…

fall..like….rainon..a….tin……rooftoo often lost in the shuffle.an open heartreceives…and…..turns…….the………bowl………..overspilling kindness onto…the face of need!

of the souls that lay downto become our sustenance…of the lives that fulfill our need.all that ‘is’ has a soul.animals, plants, water, trees, and stones.each has their own crucifixion,their dreams, their destiny, and their gifts.

gunfire, and bombings,with machine like hands.bodies broken and scattered,mouths that quiver with hunger.so many alone in the fury,even the walls have names.do you love me?your eyes betray your heart.be it gravity or madness,that throws us together.now destiny wears flesh,the wind lives inside bones.stop the lie, cross the bridge,you have only one home!napalm to phosphorus,ice turns…

into the fire…time passes.angry people say angry things,things they dont really mean…not even sure who or whatthey’re angry at…even when you walk quietlybehind the plow, storms come!the paint on the wall peels,but the wall remains…dogs barking at the stray catin the rain… all the cat wants,is in! we are no different…none of us like the…

(early sixties south)was a black boy named Gary…it was the first year they’dintegrated schools… andwe just liked each other…just boys being boys…and we hung together all year…sadly, he couldnt come to my house,and i couldnt go to his…there was still a lot of tension then,and everybody was afraid….except us… we figured wewere just people, just…

unnamed ashes that smolder.blades of grass never speaking,small stones half buried.dust on the windowpane,raindrops that falland then rise…straw gathered for the nest,the silence of the eggs.the tongue, and the ear,the moment that does not pass.the lid on the box,the nails shaped like prayers.,nothing, everything…candles never lit!

most misunderstood mysterywe’re faced with….what we seek for in the starsis already there within us.what we long for we already have!what we long to hold in our handsis that which we must give.the human heart is more than emotions.emotions are the feet of the ego.beneath our egos the real ‘us’ resides.we are more rivers than…

the last tick of the clock…last turn of the engine,the last song, the last dance.the last prayer, the last goodbye.the last leaf fallingfrom the last tree standing…thunder struck,and hungry for more!

to grow corn and potatoes,or manufacture guns and ammo?to make the medicine that heals,or to invade other countries?to build housing for the homeless,or to prop up banks that fail?to help addicts get clean,or build more prisons?to change the system,or to watch it fall?

and believe what i believe….that make me feel safe.i want to be around people,with different color, different thoughts,different beliefs….people that question,and make me question!i want to be around passionate people,people who dream, people who dance,people who run naked in the night,people who cry and feel,who touch and hold…people who let go!i dont want to feel…

set fire to my past,and turned in my keys.drank the rainwater from the gutters,and walked past the edge….searching, just searching,for the home of the wind!

tongues pierced with emotion,and pent up clouds.yesterlonging brushes your neck,your long hair falling like rain…or tears without names,words without sound.you taste like coffee and cigarettes,on a dead poet Sunday.morning falls with aching drench,pine sap and nuts!

stirs your soul…but the darknessthat defines the light!

eyes that drink darkness.hands that weave starsfrom thoughts fine as silk.lips swollen with storm,tongues that crack icecaps.the lioness roars,and monkeys shudder.volcanoes erupting,storms tear off the roof.soul emanatesfrom fresh cut trees.hair sweeping the pillows,nails digging into infinity.and the soft gentle touch,that restores sight,and walks on water…the scent of creation,the hunger that rocks!

the holiest of fires,both darkness and light,creation and death,the tenderness the wind mourns for,the storm that changes the faceof the earth…holding nothing back,touch the one you love,aware of each tiny eternity,in rhythm with the tides…only your heart knows…the lost part of you…the echo of your spirit,the hand into which you dissolve…you are the breath of…

famine struck countries tostarve to death…that the countries we dobusiness with imprison theirown people for speaking outfor justice…that we send our young menoff to fight unholy wars, andthen bring them home to nojobs and no homes…that we dont teach our own childrenrespect….that our system of justice isbought and sold…that we still judge human beingsby skin…

and see your self nakedwithout running like hell…the journey begins!when you can lookat your every action,judging your self honestlyby motive and intent…the journey begins!when you can give awayall that you cling towithout asking for anythingin return…the journey begins!when you can do the right thingirregardless of the cost,not caring what anyone saysor thinks…the journey begins!when you…

that held the light.will you then burn the book,and wipe your shoes at the door?is it easy to forget the address?some graves are best unmarked you say…let the preacher say a few words.and it’s back to home and the dinner dishes,things that must be done.what’s too painful we walk away from,and name our victories by…

you can either lookin the mirror and see me,or you dont know me!God

hoes, hammer, and nails…they began to be answered.when my concepts of truthput on human faces,they became reality!when the eyes of my heartbegan to see myselfmirrored in others,my blindness was healed!when i finally gave awaythe last thing i clung to,i became free!

if the hungry bowls are filled,and the homeless have a place to lay down.if all people are treated equally,regardless of color, religion, or beliefs.if dignity be restored to the common man.if men and women respect each other,and the art of living is just that.if forgiveness comes as easy as breathing,and caring becomes the way…then i…

the ears that listen to his need,the heart that stays beside him.the mind that shows him a better way….the spirit that believes!

in the end who is guilty?the one who pulls the trigger,or the ones who close their blinds,close their eyes,and go off to bed?who gets convicted?who pays the price?the one who killed,the boy dead?or the system thatdoesnt even press charges?the ones who hurry off to work,buying plastic dreamswith plastic cards?the ones who sit in empty rooms,drowning…

it’s the woman lying speechlessshe cant take it anymoreit’s the roar of desperationthat sickens and devoursit’s the stillness of alonethat turns minutes into hoursit’s whiskey and JesusHe said, it’s whiskey and Jesusit’s the hoe in the fieldthe hawk circling overheaddust on the windowsillit’s empty shelves in the pantrycallouses on his handsit’s nowhere to turnthe pride…

that which is of real value.we seek eternity, but it is inthose moments we are most humanthat we experience it.we would seek god,but god is not lost…god appears to us in chance encounters,in moments that we have the chance to be human,when we have the chance to listen,and so help bring change.even our failures are…

poets walkin’ outside the law,spewing bloodstained words,painting the picture they see,they feel, they live…talkin’ truth in the ageof propaganda…holding the raw, beating heartsof those in need…with trembling hands,and jaws set firm….standing in the face of the roar,fighting against all odds.outlaw poetry?hell no! outlaw ignorance!

of ignorance and fearfrom around my neck….take your shacklesfrom my feet….nobody owns me,and nobody ever will.i am not a number…i have a name!

dripping from my fangs,can feel the earth writing pawstruck,the cool damp loving grasses.still shudder with the howl,that opens and spills my soul,my eyes alive and searchingfor the hint of passion.pour a glass of wine,we’ll speak softlylike civilized men and women…talk of books, ideals,the evolution of revolution,and paint a portrait of god.still the drums beat,the wind…

for the undone deedsof the living…for the work not finished,the cup left half-empty,the song that no one heard.for the deaf ears,and the blinded eyes.for the callous heart,the spirit left in chains.for the house half finished,and the home abandoned.for the love left holdingthe purse, and the scar!for the holy childborn out of wedlock…for the table left…

walk a hollow pathwith hollow hearts.speaking often, never talking.listening, but never hearing.touching, but never feeling.inhaling, but never exhaling.with nothing behind theirhollow eyes…. insulated,burning nuclear fuelin a carbon world…an ingrown toenailon the foot…of an angry God!the hollow ones…

equal distribution of goods.the right to work,to speak out, to stand up…i am for truth at all costs,for freedom of religion…i am for peace right now,right here, and always.i am for education for all,for growing our own food.for breaking the curse of oil…i am for gay rights, and their right to marry.i am for diversity,…

you take away his spirit’sability to dream!if you close his mind,you close the doorto his future!

hard hands gone soft,thoughts falling like drizzle.gentle, almost tugging,pulled close to the fire.till singed, still smoking,left in the darkness to die.a thousand deaths though it be,with each a universe conceived.the walls of Rome crumble,to the shouts and the horns.a crucifix, and a blade,sharp on both edges.the taste of blood and beginning,raw, simple, and strong…into the…

for a moment and gone…the flower that blooms for a day.the rain dropp dissolving into the earth,the small stone washed away,when the river surges.the memory of dawnforgotten in the night…the lonesome farewell of the snailcrossing just before light…leaving only a small wet trailas evidence of passing! , , ,and the shout of joy,that sounds like…

and selfless abandon…and a determined willingnessto listen…can real conversation begin!

is the sound ofyour own heart,crying out for theembrace of all others…a child, nursingat the breast of humanity,knowing only mother,womb, and breast…the smell on your breath,the stink of human need;the taste on your lips,the flesh of hunger!

than the flaws in ourselves.we stumble through life,pretending we can fly,never realizing…that we can!what matters?ask yourself today!our actions(and our actions within)speak for us!the sands tricklewithout restraint.forever doors unopened,or closing…what do we want,what do we need…more than?

ghouls without faces,in mechanical rhyme.paid for, paid off,eyes open and blind.hearts severed from the soul,soul severed from the mind.gunfire, racism,treat women like a toy.grown men without mothers,fathers, just boys.gang bangers, pimp daddies,kings of purgatory.bad drugs, bad days,and nights without joy.cant pay the rent, get a job,and prison becomes their school.no hope for nothing more than…

cutting and stacking wood,for the fire i’ll never know.i am the tasteof rain drenched leaves,and the silence just after.i am the sooton the miners face,his only mark of identity.i am the black man,who knowing his journey well,having pride in his roots,steps beyond bitterness.i am the woman,forced to sleep in the closet,hands worn by the broom…who…

while my children are hungry,and my wife scrubs your floors.the young black man in your prison,the anger of the poor.i am the books,you forbid us to read.i am the Vietnamese family,whose children speak english.the young Sioux poet,whose words sound like tears.i am the white man’s reservation,and the white man’s god….the sound of the gas pump,the…

the ghosts of deathwalk among us….with faces we canalmost remember, almost…nowhere to hide!cant wipe the tastefrom our lips….we look in the mirrorat swords drawnand bitter eyes lostin the blindness and the fury….self destroys self…tick tock… this aint Jesus calling!

as if to touch the grass?do mountains groan in their stillness?do the bird’s wings taste the sky?do the mouths of the dyingform prayers that the livingcannot hear, or understand?does the wind knowfrom whence it came?does it care?does it know where it’s going?does it matter?when we lay the clothesof suffering down…and walk naked into the night,will…

the men with the longknives wait;call them unholy, call themprophets, men of vision,men of change…soldiers of the grey kingdom,where nothing is revealed.every starving child,every bomb droppedon indiscriminate huts…every girl baby aborted,every young boy sent to prisonfor his education…every young girl boughtfor an hour, used like a rag,and tossed aside….for miles and miles of oceanspoisoned by…

one who never dreams he’s in prison,has never been poor!for me, i spend my timewith spiders and bats…and i never close my eyeswhen i’m sleeping!god never painted the wheels,on the wagon that hauls away souls.perhaps those who are good,never knew the value of sin.if then i come again,in whatever face, whatever shoes…remember the scent of…

i walk aimless through fields,down wooded pathsto where the water singsagainst the rocks!i have forgotten you,forgotten your name,forgotten your face!all that i have left arethe faint memoriesof smells and tastesand hungerand timeless indentionsleft by touch and feeland needlover, come!lover, come!through storms and battles,years of hardship and loss…through chains and bars and tearsnever cried, words never…

the touch, the pain,the edge of the wheel.the color of the wind,the name of the rain.the groan of mountains,the call of the winding river.the hands, the eyes,the words beneath words.the work, the sweat,and the evening fire!

for the undone deedsof the living…for the work not finished,the cup left half-empty,the song that no one heard.for the deaf ears,and the blinded eyes.for the callous heart,the spirit left in chains.for the house half finished,and the home abandoned.for the love left holdingthe purse, and the scar!for the holy childborn out of wedlock…for the table left…

that we can make positive change.open mind, open heart.closed mind, closed heart.the door to life remains open.the door of death remains closed!religious people kill each otherover their differences…spiritual people accept each otherfor what and who they are,and learn to work together for common goals.god has as many faces as thereare living beings!dont quote me scriptures,…

sitting on hell’s stoop,drinking budweisers and smoking pall mall’s.dirt faced kids playing with broken glass…god dreams of napalm,while rats sing of glory!and old men with erectionswrite journels of philosophy;while old women knit graveclothes,grounded in scriptures and wills.still young men go to war,without rhyme or reason….lost in the musk of wonder,in a cave with no lantern.did…

on my shoulder,and whispered:‘can you not seethe sky, the clouds,the wind walkingthrough the treetops,sunlight dancing onraindrops clinging tothe long grasses….can you not hearthe howl of the wolf,the cry of a new baby,the moan of the wind….be still, and knowthat God is with you! ‘but i could notsee or hear above theclamor and the roar,the voices…

possesses. the only true judge-ment comes in what he does withhis time, to redeem his time…by the actions he becomes in thebattle to restore dignity andhumanity to the human race.we are then what we give…ourwords must follow the flesh aroundour hearts, must be defined bycompassion…true deliverence is deliverencefrom the apathetic, , , true freedom,freedom from…

than we’ve killed in all the wars!with every gallon of gas we pump,with the food we throw away.with pain pills, crack, and meth,with pornographic fingers.with prejudice and discrimination,and most of all, with religion!with self obsession,and the need to own.with apathy and blindness.with ‘I, me, mine’ grasping,with judgements boundby concepts derived from fears…without thinking, without feeling,without…

with nothing leftbut the clothes on my back,and feet that knowthe way home…rain begins to fallwith the coming of night.i seek shelter beneath a bridge.staring into the blacknessi see, i think i see…one solitary star.a star that tastes like bread,and meat scorched by the flame.that feels like warm blankets,clean sheets, the bare skin of a…

my feet, though tired and weary,have walked this path for years.my battles have left me strippedof the things i didnt need….of the things that had hold of me,the things that had no value…knowing that i know no morethan what i have felt and seen.knowing that i know no lessthan who i’ve touched, where i’ve been…eyes…

i don’t give answersto questions i cant answeri don’t believe anythingjust because it’s saidor writteni don’t pretend tomake you more comfortablei don’t change formsto fit the situationi don’t follow, i don’t settle,i don’t quiti don’t try to change youi work on changing mei don’t do hate

hard not to…when i can feelthe hot breath on my neck.and the shudder of blacknessthat rattles my bones!the knock, the figure in shadow,too familiar to feel safe.the hand as cold as ice,that takes all,leaving nothing behind.but tis not fear i feel,just a tired resignation.and a powerful senseof things left undone,and stars i forgot to name!as…

never forgetting the facesof hunger and need.great planes flying overhead,covered trucks on dusty roads.soldiers with guns, blank stares,cold as the oil in their veins….the reporter speaks, eyes half lowered…you turn off the tv,and go to wash your hands…but you cant wash away the stain!

fist fighting, scuffing,for food to eat…the garbage of the elite,stinking of excess.struggling,for some kind of shelter,for a fire and a bed…equal rights? human rights?just trying to live!the anger of the oppressedstains the sheets of the rich!the faceless ones marchin the face of the big guns.what’s a life to lose,when you have no way to live!and…

looks like you,smells like you,talks like you,agrees with you…believes in your god,believes in your political line,wants what you want,and admires you…

the last remnants of day,to the unborn child,unwanted, unnamed!to the empty grave,and the dirt prayingfor the casket.to the lover betrayedby the fear to touch.to the soul wrapped in cobwebs,and the heart’s bodyafraid to be naked.to the unfulfilled,the unspoken, and unclaimed.to the bastard sonof the demon and the mortal.to the holy infidel,who tore off his collar.to…

just below His eyes…and on that lineare written the namesof all the childrenin the worlddying of starvation…there is a linein Buddha’s face,just below his eyes….and on that lineare written the namesof all the childrenin the worldwhose familes havebeen killed by thebombs and bullets.there is a linein my own face,just below my eyes…and on that lineare…

the pages of the book,seldom turned…often writes with hammer and nails,sometimes shovel and plow…sometimes a cigarette bummed,a cup of coffee and a sandwich!a small child’s eyes,or an old man’s eyes,a patchwork heart,and a spirit that soars…the invisible manwho stands beside,and never backs down…never walks away!

nameless, feed the greed!too many hungrymouths, too little, spread too thin,expendable ghosts.patriotism,cutting down trees, bloody saws,children stacked, firewood!bombs falling, womenand children, fill up the ditch,covered by hatred…

we are not the body we have,but the blood that enlivens the body.we are not the blood coarsing through,but the breath that feeds the blood.we are not the breath we breathe in,but the breath we breathe out,and nothing more!

the wings of bodies strewn by time,the scent of flesh, and of blood.the fire built for the faceless ones,the sky heavy with storm.the dreams of the child in red clay dirt,the sound of the horn just outside sound!the body wrapped in shadow’s grasp.the vibration deep inside stone.the window latch broken by the wind,the light beyond…

for the rest of their lives…..you’ve fouled their drinking water,or sold away the rights.you’ve cut down their forests,driven their animal friends to extinction….carbon, smoke filled, oil spilled,coal dust, radiation leaked…..you’ve taken away their chances for education….taken back the aid… left them on the streets,or worse, sent them off to fight your greed wars…let them get…

of the child sleeping alone.i am the fear on the faceof the young couplewho have nowhere to turn.i am the bullet loadedinto the gun held by shaking hands.i am the family Biblepacked away in a closet forgotten.i am the Muslim mantreated with contempt…i am the sheriff of a small town,and the meth lab busted.i am…

we often think we’re the only ones,but all people at some point suffer despair.it is not whether we are going through hell,but what we do with it that matters.we can become hardened and calloused,and lose all hope…believe me, it’s easy.or we can stand firm at the chance of all loss,and be willing to evolve, whatever…

a deviant, a rebel,a lost cause….what if your motherlived in Iran,Afghanistan, Syria,or even North Korea?would you want to dropthe bombs then?what if your fatherwas on Death Row?convicted of a crimeyou knew he didnt commit?would you still votefor the death penalty?what if your sister,strung out and desperate…was a whore on the corner?would you still wantto cut…

where the wind stops to sleepon the long journey back to god.returning,what we do at our best,in spite of and because of…the footfalls of angels,the beat of our hearts.the grinding of our souls,the stranger builds a fire.and starts a soup,with the wings of bats and owls,whistling up clouds that bathe in moonlight.the dew soft falls…

walking with me,side by side,good day, bad day,irregardless…by my side.dogs talk to you,soul talking,unconditional love talking…and best of all,they listen!

too much traffic, and the law.stole some plastic;set up a tent down deepin the woods by the creek….up above the place wherethe cows cross… hauled mybelongings, a few clothes,books, an old rifle, a coffee pot,and a few utensils…a little food.built a small fire… thinking.what to do? steal a car,make a run for God knows where?or…

and night…and all i haveto show for it is…the dust in my pockets,holes in my jeans,and a stack of billsi cant pay…no insurance,no retirement,no house on the hill….just another victimof the American Dream!

and you keep turning and looking behind you,as if afraid something is catching up.those who would sell salvation by barker or vendor,yet hurry inside when darkness falls.who bear the cross of condemnation,proudly for the world to see….i wish you well may peace find you.i look not to yonder shore,nor speak with words that ply.i will…

for every what,there is a why.for every ignorance a cause,for every cause a choice.for every choice a reason,for every reason a condition.for every truth a light,for every light a darkened corner.for every mind there is a door,locked and unlocked by will.for every failure an excuse,for every excuse another.for every triumph,hard work and reasoning…which begins with…

and the farmer’s legs.it is not the hoe,but the farmer’s hands,and the farmer’s heart,working and committed!it is not the political system,but the moral fiber beneath.not the moral fiber of judgement,but that guided by human compassion.for the back and the legs,and the hands and the heart,are the working cogs of freedom.anything done without love will fail!

waving flags, anddriving SUV’s….draining the colorfrom the face of humanity….in the name of alilly white God,with a bank account…and every step mortgagedon the path to success!crucify the poor…draw a crowd, charge admission!

gnashing, gnawing, tearing,and howling…baying at the moon.my four legged soulcan taste the feel,can feel the raw….inside the blood,inside the flesh.soul devours darkness,darkness devours light…..running wild, and free,drenched in the moment!my four-legged soul….

peaceful protestersmarching for human rights,equality, and changebeing slaughteredby their own government…now here…shadows of Kent State…common peoplepushed to the edgein the battle forsurvival, human dignity,and hope for a future…already abandonedby our own government…will it take beingkilled to get their attention?will it take dyingto give our childrena chance?you say it cant happen here!open your eyes, your ears,your…

i may be an old man.but…i am your home;as you are mine.that door insidethe heart to theroom where it’s okto be you!

and lived for us again?would we change?would we stop?would we cling?would we touch?would we shed a tear?would we dance?would we give? …so, why didnt wethe first time?

but now i think maybethey smell like life;life lived, life experienced,life given, life worn…or maybe like a bridgethat hundreds have walked on,or the worn out shoesof the walkers…or maybe like the oak tree,just cut down,then left to age and dry outfor the fire…or maybe like memoriesof touch and taste…or maybe like a riverbed now dry,waiting…

do you think about:1. the family being bombed…on foreign shores.2. the soldiers killed3. the politician stating the lie4. the profit made5. the air filled with smoke6. the oceans defiled by oil7. the sea life killed8. the food chain broken9. what happens when the oil is gone10. the costs, both in human and animal life,….and in…

work, daylight to dawn,for everything we had.we grew our own food, wecut firewood, we workedwith our hands.we were taught to work…we built houses, bridges,paved roads… worked onfarms, worked in sawmills,worked in factories…whatever it took for foodand shelter…and if a neighbor got hurt,or sick, and couldnt work…we helped him and his familytill he could.those of us…

till i’ve become a part of it!will it withstand the storms?the battles? the trials and tribulations?the weight of feet coming from,and going to? will it stand?i can only pray and my prayeris a lifetime of work!

mailboxes full ofunopened billshouses with no curtainsold cars up on blocksall the stores are emptyall the doors are lockeddark southern skiesno one’s home anymoreno one hears the cryno one sweeps the floorman without workhis woman turns awaydark southern skiesand there’s no one left to pray…empty crib gathers dusta Bible by the bedworkboots in the cornerwith…

becomesaverb…humanitybecomeshuman!andGodbecomesasrealasthestrangeronthestreet!

in pages forgotten,on shelves forbidden.beauty disrobes,her long hair sketches,the contours of longing,as the tongue pants.but tis only rain,they deny with religious furor.her breasts mere mountains,her lips dormant volcanoes.hell, even the stones know,and tremble!trees dance the mating dance,and wild geese fly…following the scent of the storm!

and why we’re doing,what we’re doing,every moment of every day….we wouldnt have to worryso much about the‘end of the world’!if we really livedevery moment of our lives,we wouldnt fear death!if we gave all we haveto give, we wouldnt be worriedabout what we dont have!if we listened instead of talking,we’d find what we’re looking for!

perhaps you were the one who dancedin the cave when i discovered fire!were we born just outside the garden,in a land long forgotten?were we primitive wolves,mating in the moonlight?perhaps you were the dry landthat split from my ocean.perhaps your cry of passion,exploded stars into dust!perhaps i was gravity lost,and you were the moon….perhaps you were…

doors open and close,and hair is combed.in silent hurry,the day laid out,life goes on, life goes on.things left unsaid,perhaps a note.the brush in passingthrough the tangled hallway.the tv news, grey anvil tongue.eyes squinted, life goes on.while on a vacant corner,in an empty houseneath a burned out bulb,nothing gathers in shadows…prayers fall on deaf ears.an empty…

or any country, whereacts of prejudice andracial hatred are still committedon a regular basis…where people can run for office,and win, backed by the dollarsof prejudice….where minorities, children,and women are treatedwith disrespect….where the elite 10% are filthy rich,and are not taxed! …while many of us go without food,housing, or medical care…where our children are shippedoff to…

striving over religion, politics, and egodriven patriotism…the constant struggle of we the masses,faceless and numbered, to just survive,to barely get by…and i have come to doubt many andvarious things…i have a distinct hatred for the lie…for emotional, spiritual, and physicalslavery…i have no desire to do anything to winthe accord of the ignorant…i have no desire…

the wet spot on your pillow,your neighbor’s tears.the sharp pain in your heart,your neighbor’s eviction notice.the sadness in your mirror…your neighbor’s cry for help!WAKE UP!

in the human condition.a free societyallows the individualto be individual.a real communityis as responsiblefor the least as forthe most…the concept of freedombecomes a realitywhen based in mutual respect.equality demandsequal effort!how hard is thisfor us to understand?

banging against the windowof a foreclosed house…but the shutter,the wind that blows it,the window, and eventhe empty rooms…all have faces,all have names!

there you are!no costumes, no makeup, no lies.just you.greying, wrinkled, toes and fingersbent;shadows under your eyes,bruised, and worn.there you are!in all the beautyof years and scars.breathing, aching, just being.lifetimes and stories writtenin human flesh, and hope.beauty!

is only fear disguised,fear….of…….ourselves….fear of the reflectionof ourselves in each other….fear….of……our. …….own………..failures…fear< br>….of……our……..own…….. ..mortality!

sit at the feet of Plato,wander the worlds with the Hopi…draw swords with the samurai,search for the codes of da vinci…watch the times and the seasons,and be hungry for change!hold the beating heart in your handstill all names are forgotten…till all colors are one color,and the language is blood.sit beneath the tree with Buddha,and understand…

and the whisperings of the grasses.i am the kiss of the river,running o’er stones and dirt.i am the magnificent eagle,but no less the sparrow…i am the wind that weepsfor the land of the free!i am concrete and glass,the great cities you built.i am factories and mills,i am trucks hauling freight.i am rows of corn,your tractor,…

of flesh covered desire,the only true pathon the quest for freedom…the human being,becoming fully human,in the search for dignity,and equality…the message of the prophets,the hope for a new day.the battle cry of love!

stained by blood, and want…whose face on the milk carton?whose footprints in the alley?whose tongue turns the nut?whose breath stagnant with hurt?we write our stories in lifetimes,lived, or burned…the fire itself dim with age.is love then destiny, a curse,or a storm?doth the night ever end?and the unknown shipsailing unknown waters,carries the scentof both home and…

and feel the same…lost on different shelves?two oceans separated by a land mass,two mountains with a valley between.two wings made distant by a body,worn hooves on different feet…when god sees her reflection,be it thou or me?am i the darkness that kisses your light?i hear the sound of distant bells,you see the light from a far…

smells like, tastes like,feels like, talks like….i feel your need,for you are part of mine.you taught me about love,when you were hurting.the buddha in me,reaches out to the buddha in you.we inhale and exhale,and night becomes day.the buddha in you,the question and the answer.each a part of the other,one must be for both to be.the…

and the pain was too great to bear…you who would walk away,what about the child?

in a field….if you plant enough,you can cull the weaker ones,and have a good cropto do the job…this is the mentalitythat we have to change!and it beginswith putting namesto each and every face!

the taste of the lie,gone bitter.unholy wars,corporate greed….slavery rears its ugly head,taking different forms.greed takes the future,and barters for oil.the hands of the masses,empty and hungry!those who stood silentand took it all without a whimper,now have had enough!while the barkers yell,it’s un-American, it’s wrong!counting back changeinto the beggars cups.the threat of the new waveof Mccarthyism…

on a fresh dug grave…and the mouth of the soulprays in unknown tongues,that the body inhabits.stars, but the reflection,of love dressed in hunger.i wait beneath the willow,thankful for the rain!

fed the hungry, healed the sick,and stood up and stopped all wars?what if you peeled back the mask of prejudice,and exposed the beating heart?what if you walked on the water?what if you built a temple,using only your own hands?what if you made your life a prayer?what if you gave all you had to the poor?what…

walking down the street,and offered to pray for him….he turned and said:‘dont pray for me unlessyou have something i can eat…maybe a cup of coffee…and if you havent got anywherefor me to sleep… maybe,just a blanket, or a coat…’he thought a minute, and spoke again:‘i tell you what, forget all that….i dont want you to…

contemplates.blackberries, strawberries,and blueberries mingle on a plate,perhaps plotting upheaval.the leaf from the oakblown onto the needles of the pine,his brothers yell, ‘dont be too long,you might be converted.’rainwater running from a rusted gutter,repentance, absolution?the leaf being formed, an unseen bud,on a snow covered limb…DNA?the stray cat lays down with the dogs,neath the spider’s gigantic web.the…

all signs of life have vanished.an empty hamperwhere clothes once lived,not even the scent of living remains.lifetimes fall like wordsin a vacant room….swept to the side by indifference.nothing remains of the fire,even the ashes are cold….the air itself gone stagnant!from a whirlwind to an echo,a kiss to a door lock turned,the sound of a stranger…

with all consuming fire,burning every branch of self.i doubt all…and therefore believe,touching the untouchables,with reverence and awe.i chant…with dirty hands plowing,urine drenched eyes searching,living beneath all thought.i mourn…hearing the lament of dead bodies,doubled over with hunger,no place to lay my head.i burn…with uncontrolled passion,for the leaf, for the river,and the prayers of small children.i run…just…

smash and grab, run like hell,push your way to the door.small time clerks, underpaid,fight to stay alive….say a prayer, nobody cares,replace them if they die!and the hands on the clockcrawl like justice spurned…tick tock, tick tock….mercy gives what mercy earns!

no rights to speedy trial….subversive? radical?or just daring to defy?citizen? cant happen?mowed down by the machine…they do it in China all the time!freedom of speech….as long as you say the right words!bill of rights?as long as you canafford their freedom!corporate army….armed thugs!

we bear the markof Cain…and wear the resultsof our actions!whether we killwith guns and bombs,or by the greedof our actions,and our very lifestyles.we are guilty!if it leaves a bad taste,we shouldnt have eaten it!

it is the act of evolving, becoming more human.it requires seeing the face, and knowing the heart.it has to be the way we live… the way we give….and the reason we breathe….a constant joining, listening, and caring.the responsibility of needs met, and shared.the shout of the question, and the embrace of faith…freedom must be who…

with brooms made of straw.while somewhere soupbonesboil in the pot,and the sound of coffee makingstartles children’s trains on tiny tracks..the heroin news grates against the mind,and dogs wait in silent anticipation.Jesus dies again, a matinee,the Bill Of Rights stuttersneath a thin layer of dirt.travelling shoe salesmen grope lady’s legs,and old men on park benchespeer over…

more drops of water in the oceanthan we can count…the wind comes and goesas it will beyond our control.and so few understandthe language of clouds…so why do we thinkthat we can define,and confine God!the fire warms, but you cannot hold!so i kneel in the Mosques,in reverent stillness praying.i sing the old hymnsin the old Baptist…

the cities painted with despair,the houses built left abandoned.the seeds we altered,the trees we cut down.the mountains we mined,and the seas we defiled.the peoples we left homeless,left to die in poverty and hunger.the ships we sent to the moon,the smoke from the great factories.the daughters we sold into slavery,the sons we executed on profit’s battlefields.the…

wearing the mask of oppression,is prejudice!the poison gases he sprays,are ignorance and fear.the bomb he dropsis absolute poverty.the flag that he waves,is corporate and consuming.the prophecy he speaksis a damned lie…we take the gun from his hand,when we dare to stand up,and demand the truth!

i walk the stark streets,struck dumb by poverty’s tongue.i follow voices into alleysclothed in broken glass.i lick the scars off buildingswhere rats gather to dance.ghosts never chant, ‘i am black, i am white’…they moan and simmer with calloused hands.there are no heroes, no martys, no priests…only the small boy in the doorstep,with a broken kite.who…

and lead us into thePromised Land…God, not even a white God,did not tell us to…slaughter the Native Americans,and take their lands by force!we are not the ‘chosen people’!we’re just people, peoplelike all other peoplearound the world!first, and foremost,we are citizens of the world.any blessing we have receivedcomes with the responsibilityto share it with the world…not…

…..red skin,…….brown skin….human beating hearts!…red blood, needs and wants,…..all breathing,……..the same air!diverse souls,…unified spirit!coming from darkness…..into the light,wrapped in different packages,….all by the same hand,small pieces of the universe,…crying out to be joined!skin cannot hide God’s reflection!

have souls…comes from the feardriven ego…wake up!dogs and cats, birds and horses…trees, stones, and riversall have souls….mice and ants lead uson this journey!

the taste of my flesh…with lips that quiver,sucking light from shadow.undressing slowlyin sync with the earth,the softest flutterof touch ignites!take me!like tides hug the shore,mountains tremble,and winter trees shout!the pulse of my passionsurging deep, long, and strong.till you break the stormlike a twig neath your feet.swallow me!till i am no more,my body a sacrificeleft at…

contemplates.blackberries, strawberries,and blueberries mingle on a plate,perhaps plotting upheaval.the leaf from the oakblown onto the needles of the pine,his brothers yell, ‘dont be too long,you might be converted.’rainwater running from a rusted gutter,repentance, absolution?the leaf being formed, an unseen bud,on a snow covered limb…DNA?the stray cat lays down with the dogs,neath the spider’s gigantic web.the…

each word we speaklike thunder foretells rain.each helping hand we offerdiscovers another universe.each thought we darechanges history forever.each desire we realizebrings forth new crops.each truth we commit tounlocks another door.each tear we cryreveals the face of God.and in each person we lovewe find our true selves!

who have been imprisoned.who have been to the placewhere hunger lives…who have slept in cars,and underneath bridges.who have worn our failuresfor the world to see…who have tasted the fruit,who have worked the fields.who have died each dayfor a small portion of living.who have reached for the sky,and fallen from the limb.who have been the tears,the…

the face of godshaves in your mirror.the fire of understandinglit by the match,held in the handat the end of your arm!eternity but totaland conscious awareness,finding the universein each petal of the rose.the leaf just buddedwill turn and fall,to lose itself in sleep,and become leaf again!

the fire still shining in eyesthat have seen it all,and then some….nothing in his pockets….grey hair falling ‘neath his hat,bathed in the morning sun;a half smile on his hardened jaw…going out to meet the devil,or the Lord, tomorrow or infinity,with a song and a dreamstill intact…. and a heartwhose door opens both ways…leaving the past…

held the earthin his hands…until time and stormfinally had their way.the man standingin the shadows,plowed and planted,season after season,till winter greyclosed the last door.the man standingin the shadows,built a houseand a bridge…and swept room and porchtill it was finished.the man standingin the shadows,picked up nests of straw,and opened tiny cages,blowing light from cupped handstill the…

food stamp traileron the corner…withthirteencats…died two weeksago.they found her today;and animal controlcameforthecats.the county camefor her…there wasnoonetocall.a few linesin the paper…nopicture.cremation,for all involved!

has to stand up,when no one’s got your back.has to speak out,when no one wants to hear…has to be human,when they want something else.has to ball the fists,and then open the hand….has to cry, has to give,when it seems like no one cares.has to try and fail,then try again….has to put faceson God’s dreams!

precisionin the late afternoonlight….the room is bare;and he is naked.the old cat sitscurled in the windowsill…life unto life.his aged hands impartthe magic of lifehaving been lived….his eyes see the depthsof every nook and cranny,having travelled the distanceto nearness!everything known,everything felt,everything touched…given!

between heart and mind….each leaf on a tree distinct and different,but all belong to the tree!the wind has many forms, but is alwaysthe wind…you speak to me of your God that livesin holy writings and temples…i met a stranger today, stopped to listenas he talked… and knew there was God!

maybe a tear, just waiting…waiting to be euthanized!a sign hung over the deskin front of the door,that said simply:‘Choices,2012! ‘

rusted, still sharp…waiting, waitingfor the hands that till;at peace in the knowing,my destiny, my path!a simple toolin the garden of life!

people too scared to pray.bodies burning, the earth stops turning,cant go, but you cant stay!terror threats, oil war debts,children born into slavery.political balm, the last chill calm,the turning point of history!the first day of forever begins now.tear it down, it doesnt matter how.tired of lying lips and sacred cows….the mind only buys what the heart…

if your fire is small,and your body is cold,let me be logs and flame.if your soul walks alone,and your sky is dark…let me be the wind rapping at your window,and the candle flickering in your room.if your heart stands before a chasm,let me be the bridge, and the lantern.if your spirit is heavy with oppression,let…

the empty cup with spilled blood?do we sing of freedomat the funerals of the children?scratch ‘equality’ on their headstones?do we sacrifice murder on the altar,while praying to gods made of stone….do we write infinity with an oily brush?just what the hell have we become?

of your perfume for too long.my body aches from sleeping on rocks,and my feet no longer have a vision!the wind whips between these ancient trees,that smile with the silent ache of longing.and this small fire i’ve built is just that,i leave no trace or thought.and the stars that crumble to dustin my hands already know,only…

the distance between usis our silence.the bridge that joins,again our silence!the scent of the shadow,is only me.i looked in the mirror,and saw your face.raised the fork to my mouth,and fed your hunger.you raise the cup,and my lips part.i breathe,and your eyes open.my skin has no color,yours changes with the seasons.i plant a tree,you rake the…

of your perfume for too long.my body aches from sleeping on rocks,and my feet no longer have a vision!the wind whips between these ancient trees,that smile with the silent ache of longing.and this small fire i’ve built is just that,i leave no trace or thought.and the stars that crumble to dustin my hands already know,only…

clinging to cobwebbed memories.reciting emotionless prayers,with mechanical hearts,making credit card investmentsin the afterlife…as if the door would close!we would be angels,never demons,never aware of the storms.laying our accomplishmentsat the foot of eternity…having forgotten to live!

how many bodies, how many graves,before we forgive and are forgiven?who makes the choice?and who has the voice?whose hand can stop the killing?who defines liberty?brings back community?brings back the touch and the feeling?and when will we knowthey’ll never be tomorrowunless we live today?will we find God in each other,in our sisters and brothers,in what we…

when shadows come to life,and time is forgotten.and intimacy is restored.one can almost taste the darkness,the scent of trees, and grasses,bathing in moonlight.the dog barking in the distance,is as near as only far can be.somewhere lovers wrap in passioned ardor,and children sleep in make believe wombs.and god walks naked beneath windows,and by locked doors, sprinkling…

you can change the tracks,but you cant change the train.you can change your mind,but you cant change your heart.you can change the light,but you cant change the dark.you can hold the truth,but you cant hold a lie.you just keep holding on,until the day you die.you can hold your peace,but you cant hold the clock.you can…

in the life of a human being,we make them into a martyr.or we assassinate their character…the ghosts of JFK, Robert Kennedy,Martin Luther King, and John Lennonblow strong inside the winds of freedom!do we hear their voices?do we feel their message?and who’s next?and who will pull the trigger?another puppet, another pawn,or the body of apathy…who looks…

the old road warriors,need to pack up and go…go where we have to go,do what we have to do,give what we have to give…to bring the change!we have both seen,and felt the wind.have touched the fire,have reached to the sky.we have loved with a passion,they dont even know…the scars we wear,are our own!maybe if we…

i’m going to hellwhen your daily actions,and mostly inaction,validates the conceptof hell for less fortunatepeoples around the world!salvation’s not a…social club!

stained by blood, and want…whose face on the milk carton?whose footprints in the alley?whose tongue turns the nut?whose breath stagnant with hurt?we write our stories in lifetimes,lived, or burned…the fire itself dim with age.is love then destiny, a curse,or a storm?doth the night ever end?and the unknown shipsailing unknown waters,carries the scentof both home and…

Of eating our youngOf betraying the futureOf lying to the mirrorOf remaining in bondageOf feeding our fearsOf constantly denying…That God exists!

the tears that god wept for me,washed away the dirt of my struggle.and again the silence,returns as a friend,wrapped in the soundsof the living!

grow up!they’re all crayons,and they all came outof the same box!God

opposing sides presentedwith respectful candor.the willingness to listen,and to hear!the unified decision to change,evolving, as fire and watercoexist!the bridge between usbuilt by both sides!the first steps in crossing….intelligent discourse!

birds turning south.axe and boots,old truck loaded down….birds turning south.dreams and passions,tied down and loaded,birds turning south.memory stained moments,when the earth stoppt turning…birds turning south.now nothing more thanempty nests, a stray feather…birds rurning south!

look in the mirror!if your mirror does not show youthe reflections of all those in need,all those who are suffering…you’re not true to yourself…much less to God!perhaps, search for God?no, God is not lost!if your heart does not hurtevery time someone starves,or a child dies,or a family is put out on the street,then you are…

backyard plowed up,supper in an hour.short week, belt tight,make do with what you got.invite your neighbors over,coffee dark and hot.say a prayer, thank you,lucky to be alive.grandkids going crazy,look over at your wife.‘there’s enough, pass the plates’,talk settles down.glad to be together,watch the sun go down.after supper, pick a tune,pass the bottle round.name a song,…

softly knocking on the door….or maybe it’s a train,on some distant track,hurtling somewhere with purpose….or maybe just winter,blowing hard against autumn,wrapping all that has been life…in the silence of the snow….or maybe it’s tomorrow,returning today to yesterday….this moment of living to memory.or maybe it’s just my heart,calling out to my soul….listening for an echo….you return…

and passages of living….our body, merely leaves,turning with time and passion,till they fall, crumble back to earth….and that which we have lived,fought for, and given….just hidden grains in the wood,that sing on moonlit nights!

contained in every raindrop,set free in moonlight searching darkness.in every tick of every moment,in the hand that has a facethat has a name.in the whisper of silencethat words cannot express,in the hollow of the shellthat rhymes with echo….every brown skinned face,every white and black.every song of the soul,of backs bent with work.every dream often unspoken,every…

pounding voices, pounding anger,pounding need, pounding greed.hungry, hungry eyes,hungry souls, hungry holes.hungry children, hungry countries,hungry hands, hungry man.throbbing, throbbing blood,throbbing dreams, throbbing schemes.throbbing ideas, throbbing hatred,throbbing inside, throbbing cant hide.touching, touching hearts,touching true, touching you.touching forbidden, touching daring,touching color, touching wonder.pounding, pounding nails…

the vacant,…the dispossessed,……the evicted,………the forgotten,………….the expendable.rattling the tracks,with the rhythm of yesterday,on the way to tomorrow,beyond…the…..far…….ho rizon.and the hawk that flies overhead,can find no flesh, no blood….the tombs of the livingsilently testify….the kiss of the deadlingers on my lips!

sometimes hard and calloused,sometimes soft and feminine.skilled hands, laborer’s hands,loving hands, nurturing hands….fingers digging in the dirt,fingers holding a pen.fingers playing a piano,fingers unbuttoning blouses.hands extended, hands gripping the rope,hands holding the shovel,hands covered with resin.hands folded in prayer,hands balled into fists.hands stuffed in empty pockets.hands that define both history,and destiny!hands scarred and bruised,hands covered…

of our unspoken desires;that swallows darknesswith sexual intensity,that drools in our dreams.the face of all the hatredsand prejudices we abhor….that hungers for blood….that stalks the hollow man,who wears our bodies….and sleeps with our women….that beast, whose very existencewe deny, whose name we darenot speak… diseased and stinking….yet when we take his withered hand,a change occurs,…

embedded deep,cutting from within….fingers burnt by the fire….the wail of darknessswelling through the tombsof the soul…walking the razor’s edge,and the stink of human flesh.nothing more immortal,more infinite, more redeeming…not even falling stars….the moment of human life,in minutes or years;that only the courageof revealing oneself can unwrap….the moment becoming eternitywhen simply given!

walk across the seathat has been divided.put your hand on the cave wallsand feel the etchings.jump into the Mayan poolof sacrifice!sit among the unmarked gravesof soldiers killed in battles,reading poetry to the soulslost to the violent storm.dive for the ruins of Atlantis,for the memory before memory.stand in stillness at Stonehenge,listen for voices in the wind.feed…

the holiest of fires,both darkness and light,creation and death,the tenderness the wind mourns for,the storm that changes the faceof the earth…holding nothing back,touch the one you love,aware of each tiny eternity,in rhythm with the tides…only your heart knows…the lost part of you…the echo of your spirit,the hand into which you dissolve…you are the breath of…

do you know me?do you hear my voice?will you touch me?will you hold me?will you make the choice?do you want me?do you need me?open the door and let me in!more than night and day.more than hurt and pain….sister, i need a friend!

hair thrown across your face,lips swollen with longing.to pluck stars from the night sky,and drink the dew like wild beasts.to howl and moo, to hoot and caw,to be the ant that led the others astray!to build small fires by forbidden roads,to sleep inside the cave.to drink moonlight, and spit revolution,to walk naked in the cool…

singing softly,as he sweeps the floorof your room?do you hearthe whirr ofthe butterfly’s wings,flying just outside your window?do you hearthe silence of the rain,falling just outside your door?do you hearthe beating of the heart,rhyming yours,filling the void with light?it’s just me…let me in!

the bare branch scrapesagainst the windowof the house left vacant.the desk left cluttered,as if in waiting.the candle half burned,naked without fire.the woodstove cold as ice.the gravel drive now virgin,the mailbox rusted shut.the yard oozes like an open wound,in the womb of stillness.nothing moves, nothing at all!another world?maybe it never was!the rope tied in a noose,the…

the cause of my own problems.that by my choices i amwhere i am today.and that the manin the mirroris both mybest friend andmy worst enemy.blaming no one else.blaming no other causes.i take responsibilityfor who i am,for where i am,and for where i am going!if there’s gonna be any changes,i have to make them!

and yes the fires of Stonehenge,and the medieval forests.wooden ships sailingon seas mapped by loss,even Atlantis, but a memory.Rome burned,fed by the bodies of pride.and men cut treesuntil there were none.a simple carpenterreclaimed love by cost…and bodhisattvas borethe suffering of many.men created godin the image of man.with war on his breath,the color drained from his…

break the grip of death.

after so much time…time lived together,two souls wrapped in one spirit…two hearts that cannot beatwithout the other…train wrecks, stars collide,and yet the light remains…and the dust of worlds destroyedforms the beginning again and again…who are you without me?who am i without you?night cannot be without day….this fire returns from ashes….the simple brush of hands,eyes meeting…

we built this countryon the backs of slaves.we made this country prosperouswith the bodies of underpaid factory workers.we spread democracywith the sword of felony and greed.we fed this country,and foreclosed the farms of the farmers.and you wonderwhy we are where we are now!

dead bodies whisperin the grasses turned brown…water stagnant, stinkingwith blackened greed….children’s hands severed,lined up beneath the altar,sacrificed to the godsof an angry age…even the trees weep,and the mountains shudder!

across the room.unholy wars,kingdoms built by ghosts.chapters,or maybe commas.clouds,or falling stars!

with the trinkets of desire!let’s talk about equalityin a room wherelight and darknessboth weigh the same,sitting naked around a table,bare but for time…time purchased, and lost,in the gamble to feed.time, not for sale,time taken and given!dont talk about redemption,with judgement clouded eyes.let’s talk about sameness,same hearts, same souls.poverty brings an honesty,names each and every face!and…

is to pretend it doesnt matter!to pretend that i dont care!life is too precious to pretend,too valuable to waste…every moment is a gift,every second eternal!live! be drunk with living!

the waves of feelingso strong, so dangerous…the hurt so deep itpenetrates and shakesyour very being…suffocates your thinking,till words are too painfulto be spoken…and the darkness is so coldthat you burn down the housetrying to get warm…leaving only the flappingof shadowy wingsin a ghost grey sky….may your spirit be at peace,may your heart be healed….may you…

displaced, desolate,lives packed on borrowed trucks.padlocked doors, Wall Street roars,dead soldiers coming home.street corners, somebody’s daughter,selling shadows wrapped in dreams.religious freaks, hangman’s noose,dark glasses see only white!Christians and Muslims, russian roulette,hollow threats and doomsday lies.starving children, doors locked,faces turned away.!oil rigs pumping, dry humping,the earth screams, ‘it’s rape’!protesters marching, riot squads,take away your rights.prisons full,…

sense of evolving, finding the self by‘losing the self in the selves of all others’,the identity that has not a name, but many names…many faces, many colors, many smells…the raw sense of the connection,the sacredness of the common,the ecstatic weeping of souls joined by need.the dance of the spirit, the sensuality…and the pounding beat of…

and looking closely, found they wereall of my making… they carriedmy name… they even smelledlike me…on the second step towards freedomi took ownership of the prisonthat i’d created for myself….on the third step, i took out my knife,and killed the man in the mirror.on the fourth step i let goof everything i thought i had…

chopped in tiny pieces,laid carefully in a box,that sits silently screamingon your shelf!the heart does not knowfaces or names,is not bound by distance,1000 miles, or 20 feetacross the room…that seems even further.we die a thousand deathsat each other’s feet.love’s crucifixions,bodies wrapped in cloth,and perfumed.souls drawn to each other,clothed, yet bare naked.live wires touching,that light up…

and see your self nakedwithout running like hell…the journey begins!when you can lookat your every action,judging your self honestlyby motive and intent…the journey begins!when you can give awayall that you cling towithout asking for anythingin return…the journey begins!when you can do the right thingirregardless of the cost,not caring what anyone saysor thinks…the journey begins!when you…

and keep entering,in a thousand different ways,and myriad forms.we are no more than this,this coming and going….i dont know whetherto tip my hat,or leave my shoes at the door.the taste on your lips,that you cannot name,is me, and nothing more!

when you, by your very actions,are immoral?

inside the fur of the wolf,the wings of the hawksmall ants on infinite journeys,turtles moving to earth time.water wrapping around rocks,old tree leaning with time.blood, sweat, passion’s fluids,the pulse of a cold mountain.thunder and lightning, clouds hang,the taste of flesh lingers…naked by the fire, shadowson the walls of the cave….chanting, humming, praying….with hands bruised and…

cutting and stacking wood,for the fire i’ll never know.i am the tasteof rain drenched leaves,and the silence just after.i am the sooton the miners face,his only mark of identity.i am the black man,who knowing his journey well,having pride in his roots,steps beyond bitterness.i am the woman,forced to sleep in the closet,hands worn by the broom…who…

ourselvesmostclearly…< br>intheeyesofotherpeople…< br>in their struggles,their mistakes,and their triumphs!

well thought out actions,grounded in belief!belief in equality,compassionate unity,brings about change…real change, real thinking,real solutions, real problems,facing real issues,without making excuses….breaking down barriersconstructed by fears,finding sameness in difference,and holiness in the mundane.stronger than bullets,armed guards and riot squads.the truth of human kindnessbreaks the grip of the lie!

for the sunlight pouring throughthe window….for the rain wet tossled earth.for those who are protestingcorporate greed….for poets everywhere,in all walks of life,hammers blazing, plows turning,lovers wrapped into each other…small children waking up loved….for trees and mountains,rivers and fields….for all those working tofeed the hungry, house the homeless…for all of my brothers and sisters,needing, wanting, giving,…

the rest in varying stagesof undress…and a smile i havent seenfor some time…

in tiny doings of the heart,and small kindnesses shared.we touch without thought,and think without feeling…but the orgasm of the spirit,is in the joining of hands!

hands disappearinginto hands…we leaves the sitesof graves untended,walking towards life,with both grief and joy!the smoke still lingers,and the smell of wet ashes.but we are more,we choose to be more!faces long lostgather purpose, and names,as blood becomes,our peace and our striving!

precisionin the late afternoonlight….the room is bare;and he is naked.the old cat sitscurled in the windowsill…life unto life.his aged hands impartthe magic of lifehaving been lived….his eyes see the depthsof every nook and cranny,having travelled the distanceto nearness!everything known,everything felt,everything touched…given!

thinking about children gone,and branches that diverged.thinking about women lost,in the aisles of churches, and department stores.thinking about hours burned,under the hot lamp of striving.scratching his name on the cover of the book,he closed his eyes to dream.yet somehow couldnt get rid of the tasteof children’s pajamas,the smell of the perfumeof kitchens…and the light in…

you do not own my body!i will not wear your chains!i take off my shirt,and show the marks on my backto the world, defiant to the end!you do not own my mind!you cannot tell me what i can think.you will not tell mewhat i can and cannot read!you cannot tell me what to believe.i do…

the hammered blade,some call it love.the bottomless well,cant drink enough….the blackened plow,the blood stained glove.the eyes of hunger,empty face of loss.the wheel of manturns despite the cost.when you’re lost at sea,and your ship is tossed.the eyes of hunger,empty face of loss.and still the takers taketill the blood is drawn.while the innocent prayin the dark before…

slowly walked back into the house.gathering everything of value.my books, my clothes, my boots,old photographs, letters, pictures,everything i’ve ever written.every memory.took them outside,and fed them to the fire!and walked off barefootinto the night.2lover, dance with me!we call unto each otherfrom distances, through barriers,breaking down walls of seperation;through tears and angry silence,echoing through the night.i kiss…

the act of opening,like a rosebud,like a mother,opening the door…like a childopening a present,like a womanopening to a man….opening…all the hidden chambers,every door to everysecret kingdom of the soul…..opening the box that holdsyour secret thoughts, desires….opening…the door of the cage,letting the winged breath fly….opening….your heart to itself,and to all hearts beating….opening….the vault of conceptions,the entrance…

my mother wanted me to bea preacher, so i read about Jesus,and His life… they killed Him!when i was nine years old,and in the fourth grade,they killed JFK in Dallas….just before he pulled usout of the Vietnam lie……by this time i had questions,i knew something was wrong….they went on to kill Martin Luther King,Robert Kennedy,…

seems like it shouldnt be so hard,what else is there that matters?we keep looking the wrong way,keep turning our backs on the truth.forgetting where we came from,with no idea where we’re going!life runs like sand through our fingers.we race madly towards the flame.are we moths, would be gods,or just small children,who’ve lost our mother?

digging in the dirt?while poetry screams fromweeping willows and dead spiders…light finds it way through crack and crevice,dancing in the little boy’s palm!there is a song that dwellsin things that seem most still.graveyards come alive in the dead of night.and streetlights write historyon streets deserted and quiet.while lamps shine in closed windowsas a testament to…

close your eyes dont touch.give them rice, roaches and lice,just dont give them much.truth too strong, sell your song,keep them marching to the beat.riot squads, in the name of god,kill freedom in the streets.the wheels of justice keep on turning.you keep spending more than you’re earning.people keep dying, bodies are burning….feed the beast, the world…

the chant of trees swaying,those intimate voices in the wind…we have no names for these sounds,these doings outside the cage.does the body call from the grave?do bird’s wings exchange secrets with the sky?is the moment just before, and just after,the last breath… the only eternity we know?why do we call god, god?is the atheist closer…

warismurder,disguisedunderthe shieldof self-agrandizingpolitical agendas…war defies morality!warneverbringspeace!stop banging the drumsof war!

ban gay marriagesban free thinkingand if they couldban the poor!i have a better idea!why dont weban wars, ban prejudiceban offshore drillingban the greedyban the judgementalban ignoranceand just for good measureban whaling around the worldfor any reason!

dissolving into the earth,leaving no sign,no name, no identity,not a mark, not a trace,for the passage of time…and yet…a part of….of such is my life.and i find peace in this!a part of…all that has been,all that will be,a part of…

chopped in tiny pieces,laid carefully in a box,that sits silently screamingon your shelf!the heart does not knowfaces or names,is not bound by distance,1000 miles, or 20 feetacross the room…that seems even further.we die a thousand deathsat each other’s feet.love’s crucifixions,bodies wrapped in cloth,and perfumed.souls drawn to each other,clothed, yet bare naked.live wires touching,that light up…

rags stuffed in cracks,’round the windowsillsroaches run up the walls,Christmas music on the radiocut off notice on the table;young woman stares, half dreaming,of stockings with nuts and oranges(& the remembered scent of hot chocolate!)crack pipe falls to the flooras snow begins to fallsmall children with dirty facesplaying on a cold floor

that my heart cant hear…my heart bleedingby the grave…unmarked, and unclaimed.our tongues reaching through bars,our cells drowning in stone…only wings, and the soundof the river remain!

laid down his instrument,and went home…..and yet his music livesin the hearts of those he moved,in the memories of those hehelped mold by human touch….in the prayers of those whose liveswere changed simply bycoming into contact with him….in the spirit of freedomgiving hope to those he left behind…no tears… he lives!

they had all the oppressionthey could take…and they rose upat the risk of their lives,and took their country back!will we have to followin their footsteps?how many will have to diebefore we can restore our dignity?when you have nothing leftto live for….then the price of your life isnt much!freedom calls, will we answer?