BRAIDS

 

It doesn’t matter when…it doesn’t matter where

But I always smile when I see any man, woman 

or child with braided hair

Because it reminds me how across indigenous cultures 

these beautiful braids are worn

as a tribute to women…from whom all creation is born. 

The wisdom of these cultures is both sensible and broad

they understand how women…are the next best thing to God.

So they wear their braids to honor women…every mother…every wife

to show their gratitude to the people…who give the gift of life.

Each braid consists of three strands…honoring women is their goal

one represents the mind

one represents the body

and one represents the soul.

These three strands are plaited together so when the braiding’s done

there is a living link to all their women ancestors…coming together as one.

This is why I smile…when I see how each twists of hair cascades

when I think of how they honor their women

It makes me love the symbolism of the braids.

We live in a world where to these indigenous values many do not adhere…

where women feel vulnerable…are threatened…harassed and raped

where many of them live in fear.

Where many men have forgotten to honor every women…every mother…every wife

forgotten to show gratitude to those who give us life.

Forgotten to cherish the ones who first teach us to care for one another…

forgotten there is a reason we call our planet…Mother.

Perhaps we should use the three strands of the indigenous braids…

To remind us…again…and again…and again…

How we are born of women

raised by women

And we are who how we are…because of them.

It’s time we honor our women…

It’s time their dignity and humanity we preserve…

It’s time we find a way to braid into our lives

the respect they all deserve

WAY BACK WHEN

 

There are times as I grow older…

I find myself happily remembering way back when

to a time that seemed more innocent

without computers…when we wrote with only pencil and pen.

I remember, attending Catholic school….and in church looking around

thinking, since I could not see the nuns’ feet,  

they must miraculously float above the ground

Here’s a belief I had…that I’ve never shared with anyone…

I believed that lifesaver candies could keep me alive

even the pineapple ones

There is something to be said for that kind of innocence…

way back when no one seemed angry or hurried…

when I could play away from my house all day

and my parents never worried.

Way back when I was happy 

when there was so much I did not comprehend….

when my friends did not have labels…

my friends were just my friends.

Way back when I would play outside for hours

when we let our imagination soar…

when we did not know of hatred, 

of prejudice or war.

Way back when I had great role models…

a kind father and a loving mother…

when I thought all people got along…

when I thought everyone loved one another…

But somewhere along the way I grew up…

I’m not sure exactly when

and learned the world was not the world I remembered it to be 

way back when.

Which is why every now and then if find myself wishing 

to go back to that time 

when we wrote with only pencil and pen

to a time that was more innocent…

the way I remember it…

way back then.

NOTHING COMPARES

 

With so much beauty all around…a beauty of which I am perfectly aware

I try to enjoy each tiny piece for it’s uniqueness…I try not to compare.

Every sunrise stands alone……painted with one-of-a-kind effects

Why, then, would I waste time comparing one sunrise to the next.

Every sunset is exclusive…creating it’s own beauty to adore….

Why would I waste the beauty of the one I’m seeing

by comparing it to any sunset that has graced the sky before.

 

And long ago, happily, I came to understand…

I should never compare the smiles on babies faces

or the touch of their little hands.

There is an inherent never before seen beauty 

and elegance…an unparalleled style

in every baby’s touch

In every baby’s smile

I believe beauty…all the beauty around us…

is a blessing to be shared

and that beauty…with other beauty…

should never be compared.

Which is why when it comes to beauty.  

I follow this simple rule of thumb

I try enjoy every slice of beauty today will offer

then excitedly await…

tomorrow’s beauty yet to come.

SOUNDS

 

Autumn has come to the mountains…it’s easy to perceive 

when we feel the cooler weather upon our skin

when we hear the crunching of the leaves.

There is something comforting walking along the ground

where fallen leaves have randomly decided to bunch….

you find yourself smiling because…there’s something satisfying in the crunch

As I listened to that crunch of Mother Nature’s quilt…

with it’s colors on full display

I started wondering what other sounds in nature…make me feel this way

The music nature creates each day…her melodies…without words

The wind, 

a gentle rain, 

the ocean waves

a waterfall…

the singing of the birds.

Sounds that when I stop and listen …even if only for a little while…. 

immediately soothes my soul…and evokes from me… a smile.

As I was thinking of the plop a stone makes

before it sends out ripples on a lake.  

I began to wonder if there are soothing sounds

we human beings make

Do we make sounds like nature…

that soothe the soul…of course we do…

the laughter of a baby

when we whisper… ‘I Love You’.

How lucky we are as humans…

for the wide variety of sounds we’re blessed to hear

from the crunching of the leaves in Autumn

to all the ‘I Love Yous’ whispered in our ears.

Perhaps what we need a little more of in this world

is to find a way to interweave….

more ‘I Love Yous’ whispered in each other’s ears

with more time crunching in the leaves.

WHEN WILL THIS CABIN FEEL LIKE HOME

 

After leaving our home in Florida…where we lived together for nearly 40 years

where we shared a lifetime of memories…filled with laughter…and some tears

We wondered…when we moved up here…to this place where I’ve written many a poem…

When, if ever, will this cabin… begin to feel like home.

We never dreamed we’d live here…where we visited Debrah’s mom and dad

Where on those visits they’d watch our children grow…

Where we felt the joy of their happiness and laughter

and the sorrow when it was their time to go.

We never dreamed we’d be living in this cabin…nestled among the trees

Where we played games around kitchen table

Told stories around the campfire…

And watched the flames fly high on a summer breeze. 

But the more we live…the older we grow…

the more, to us, it seems…

the contentment and happiness of life…

is just a matter of rearranging dreams.

We have found…

If there is love wherever we are making memories

If it’s a place where some of our dreams come true 

any place we happen to roam

Then that place…wherever we happen to be…

we are happy to call home.

That home isn’t just the house and town we grew up in

where at the end of the day we’d hang our hat…

Home is a feeling we take with us…It’s a little more mobile than that.

When we stopped and looked around our cabin 

we realized…it’s already filled with love, joy and laughter too 

It already contains a multitude of wonderful memories

It’s already a place where we’ve seen some of our dreams come true.

Which means there is no need to wonder when this cabin will feel like home

no need for worries…apprehension…or fears….

From the memories already echoing off these walls…

It’s obvious….

It has been our home…for years.