Pledge Of Kindness

I will remember this poem from now on when

reciting the pledge of allegiance...

I will think of kindness when I gaze on our flag...

the one I now fly at half staff...

Yes, yes, yes to "the possibilities for which it stands"

because they are numerous and exciting to envision.

And yes, yes, yes to "one planet under the stars".  

It is our precious home and we must make certain

to care for and nourish, heal and  renew the generous bounty

we're given by her presence.

And another triple yes to "interdependent on

liberty and justice for all".

With emphasis on "for all".

 

Still, What I Want

"Casting aside the weight of facts"

 is not something I recommend 

as we're currently experiencing 

the reality and the consequences

of actually doing so.

Mary Oliver's speaking metaphorically

 and in that context, 

I understand and resonate 

with floating a little above this difficult world.  

Interesting how the intention behind 

the "casting aside of facts" alters the meaning 

and the outcome dramatically.  

The riper I become, the clearer it gets that

pretty much everything is neither all good nor all bad.

For a poet and a president to use similar words and actions

to describe stunningly opposite perspectives,

provides a precise example of the paradox.

 

We Forget

"And maybe we have to forget or we would be too stupified 

with gratitude for every raindrop and eyelash to get through the day..."

I love the phrase "stupified with gratitude". 

There are plenty of unworthy things to be stupified by, aren't there?

So let's "cast upon ourselves, a spell against indifference."

It's possible to be aware of things without succumbing to numbness

or burying our heads in the sand?

We're certainly getting plenty of opportunites to practice.

Let's "move through the world with an inner bow at every littlest thing

that prevailed against the odds of otherwise in order to exist."

Let the noise and chaos exist in its layer of temporary.

We will keep on adding layer after layer of wonder 

of what is enduring and extraordinary, 

existing in even the tiniest forms of magnificense.

 

Our Sun

Oh, how I love this.

I want to be like the sun.

I am not;

 at least not yet.

I constantly catch myself measuring...

comparing...thinking in duality....

either one or the other. 

 It does not make me proud.

"Does not choose the daffodil over the daphne,

does not care what you believe in,

what color your skin,

how colorful your credentials..."

and on and on

No walls or borders or IOU's.

"Does not choose me over you."

". . .bringing very last thing to life.

Bringing life to every last thing."

 

You Deserve

Full stop.

 

In Praise of Impermanence

This is so richly written, I hesitate adding anything but 

my grateful attention to each stanza with admiration and appreciation.

That being said, I shudder at the thought...

"the earth won't be around forever."

Followed by thinking forever is a long, long time.

It will not happen in my lifetime or my grandchildren's

or their grandchildren's.

Some of us have some trouble 

accepting impermanence.

Yet, here it is and here are we.

 

Before The War

Sometimes, Nikita's poetry guts me.

And this one did just that.

Filling my heart with goodness, 

means weaving sorrow into the tapestry 

nestled in close with glory and gratitude.

I wish it wasn't so, yet, there's no escaping it

no matter how diligently I avoid it.

I continue to carry it as it carries me.

Learning to let it flow through me,

to recognize and absorb the painful,

to feel it strong and release it 

as it moves into the river of time is the lesson.

Overcoming the temptation to turn away

without wallowing in despair is the challenge.

I'm grateful you are here.

Together we can navigate 

the wretched and wonderful

paradoxes of our lives.