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Monday, July 11, 2011

Deep in Summer - with audio link




Where have all the cars gone
Not as many as before
The way seems empty,
The people faded
Ground turns brown
Quiet sifting of the sands
Lonely nightingale searches calling out
Singing, will you join me deep in summer
Longing is deep, deep in summer

So goes each one in a tunnel of
His or her own yellow sun
In a burrow of singular fun
Shooting out the other side
Of a black hole’s door
Where the light is stored
For a rainy day’s thunderstorm
Pouring down, down deep in summer
Rainy days and lightening are deep, deep in summer


Travel on to the commonplace
The business space,
The pent up race
There the heat,
It cannot touch you
Windows cannot see you
Skinny life measured out
Skyscrapers deep in summer
Offices bound in glass, deep, deep in summer

 Puffy comics barely read
In the sky play overhead
But ignore those within
Hearts line up armored inside
Against the bird song’s steady stream
Marching dutifully toward five
When ocean tide of green bursts free
All things come alive sprout and grow deep in summer
Anticipation is reaching out deep, deep in summer

Then sun and moon
Descend like dew
To moisten every eye and renew
Break down the walls
Melting shields and weapons
To pour friendship in each one
Wherein grows love
Within long glances deep in summer
Love grows enraptured and unfolding deep, deep in summer

A baby crying,
A mother calling,
A school yard full of laughter
The Ice cream melting
Slowly down the horizon
The crickets playing
Old timers talking
The light of lives shining deep in summer
Families and neighborhoods deep, deep in summer

Ladybug and ants
Creep along the rose stem
Sigh and wipe away the perspiration
Buttery thick the air
As twilight fades
Restless flies in kitchen never notice
Pleading, clinging June bugs
Breath of sighing flora deep in summer
Damp heat,  and insects thrive deep, deep in summer

CRASH, goes the screen door
Moist aimless hair
Dirty ruddy freckles,
Glowing, curious, eyes
Hanging, questioning mouth
Drinking in breath
Corners turned up in happiness
Animated hunger deep in summer
Smiles of the young are deep, deep in summer

Jays and Starlings
Weaving nest and song
Crow cries out his raspy word
Starry Night comes to birth
Life circles about the streetlight
A dog barks
Then Silence
Rest calls the creature deep in summer
Stunning silence is deep, deep in summer

A tugboat groans somewhere in the dark
Something hisses, the night glows red
Yawning coke ovens across the deep
Burning rivers find relief
The distance whispers back
Breathing, beating, black, pulsing
The steaming heart of a steel press
Sounds in the night deep in summer
And the rivers flow deep, deep in summer

Sleep comes to bed, raccoons play outside
Humid, stormy dreams conjure,
In the yard skunk and possum wander
Under damp linen clouds, like seeds plowed
Traveling faces, friends, and family,
Lips, arms, foes, charms, till the soul is calmed
Then refreshed by cool morning breezes
As clarity of day quietly calls our name
Awakening as night and creature go to sleep deep in summer
A heart beating, beating, beating deep, deep in sssssssummer.

Thursday, July 07, 2011

The Lamb - with audio


audio link


Once, while in the day of rest
K'dusha rent this earthly vest
A silent wind flew to another place
Azure surrounding flame of swirling white
No care did follow there
Only the quiet roar of myriad voice
Joined in Spirit, the distant many called out
Filling the waters above the earth
"K'dosh, K'dosh, K'dosh. . . ."
As the sound settled in this life
"Holy, Holy, Holy"
"Adonai zvah-ot, m'loh kol ha-aretz kvodoh "
Dreamlike universe seemed to turn
"Is the L-rd of Hosts"
Till awareness came to something near
"The whole earth is full of His Glory"
Standing alone was the Lamb
"All of creation is full of His Praise"
Gentle, yet strong, with seven eyes
"Baruch K'vod Adonai mimkomo"
Holding all within an unwavering gaze
"Blessed is the Glory of the L-rd in His abode"
A great explosion in a column of blinding light
Broke through the universe and shown down
Enveloping the earth and filling all
Calling out:  "Shema Yisrael …"
"HEAR OH ISRAEL, THE LORD YOUR G-D,
THE LORD IS ONE, Adonai Echad"
A restless wind blew throughout the earth
The Ruach of the Almighty swept over its surface
With a voice quiet and still speaking out
From within the unseen torrent
"Sleepers awake now for the time has come"
Until one by one the people with faces turned upward
Began to open their eyes as the shadow of God
Passed over them like a great eagle with wings outstretched
There in Jerusalem I saw them, Arisen in truth,
Myriads upon myriads bowing low
Before the Great and Mighty King,
Messiah Prince of Peace, Son of David
Then from the silence came a brilliant flash,
"All of creation is full of His glory!"
Caressed by the Torah of His Saving Love
The words rang within, then coming to myself again
I thought of the scriptures and was humbled:
"Be at rest and know that I am He," HaMakom (The Place)
Holding all things together, in the hollow of my hand,
Shepherding Jacob, comforting His people...
..And we like snow pure and still, knowing He is God 
As this time melts away. . . ..

Psalm 121, Isaiah 52:1, Zechariah 14:9

The Sloth - with audio

audio link

Goodly now
The night is come
Wine must needs
Leave the hand
Fly flees not,
Seeing not the bed
On the pillow
Lies sweaty head
Air is still
Wet and thick
Hanging round
Like dragon's breath
Distant cars
Pass like songs
Till silence
Creeps in
To put aside
The lazy thought
Lay here upon
Canvas cot
Flora exhale in
Mind and senses
As Berried Bushes
Bring about
Bear's drool
So Nick Bottom
Doth make a fool
Donkey becomes
An Ass to know
Tis not spring
But summer now
Jasmine delights
This tired swoon
Orange Blossom spiders
Dance in the moon
Whilst Stars and planets
Fall in fast
Dark matter
Wise and vast
Radiate to
Crowd out
All starts
Save the play of
Little quiet
Gentler hearts
Roll away ,
Roll far away
Drowsily,
Overturned
Now
Is sinking
Day.