STOP LOOK LISTEN

Stop. Look. Listen. You’ve heard those words countless times. But do you really practice what they mean?

Do you pay attention? Yet, we must arrive at that place where we do pay attention or its results may cost us dearly. Where is that place? How do we get there? That place of quietness and confidence. That is your center. It is your power plant. Your base. Your strength. It is where you hear. Hear your thoughts. It is also where you heal. Heal your heart, your mind. Let’s see. There are all kinds of unhealthy debris. Media. Traffic. Internet. Other people. Misperceptions. Natural…Unnatural noise. The list goes on. The goal is to get quiet. You see getting quiet allows you to pay attention. It stills the enemies of your mind. Getting quiet allows you to respond with confidence instead of reacting out of fear. To wait instead of plundering recklessly forward. To reflect upon richly instead of grappling aimlessly.

We all need time to refuel, refresh and renew ourselves from that which robs, rapes and impairs our authentic selves. Some things must be proven. They cannot be taken as is.

Stop. Look. Listen.

PROSE IS A METAPHOR

Prose is a metaphor that describes

the distinct aura, vibe that we emanate

send out to others by what we show

speak, display—with or without

utterance…like a custom-tailored garment

a quilted piece of clothing…our prose

can be worn, communicated, radiated

through impetuous action or through

mildly compressed inaction

whether we admit it or not, prose

is indisputably manifest without saying

a word…it is what we exude.

Passion of Vegetables

Robust rich leaves

etched dirt lay host

to sinewy seeds made fertile

flirtatious carrots blush

while tomatoes flaunt

shapely curves on outstretched vines

wet wild succulent beads

from leafy lettuce drip down

grown green leafy thighs

dried sage does tango

with parsley while celery stalks

gather gazing…

like old men on a street corner.

You Matter

Wherever your courage is call it forth. Wherever your voice is speak it out. Use your hands to touch. Use your heart to heal. Shout. If you must be heard. But never my dear stand still.

There is power in you. There is power in us. I stand with you. Hold on to love. Your life matters. Your beauty creates. Hold on to love…Hold on to love…Hold on to love.

YOUR BEAUTY CREATES

 

Life’s Leaves are a’ Fallin

Scattered here

scattered there

all around the ground

fallin’ amidst our days

restless senseless nights

life’s leaves are a fallin’

down down down

reddish as city violence

green like corporate corruption

down down down

brown as Uvalde pain

orange as prison jumpsuits

tragic as Camp Mystic rain

down down down

life’s leaves are a fallin’

we never know the turns they take

when circumstances come a callin’