Rilke said, Live the questions.
Well, screw him.
Preparing for the Moon Rise
In the late afternoon
time of the fading sun,
I watch six hawks
glide on high currents.
With quick movement of their wings,
they soar up and down, right and left
with intent and delight.
Later in the evening,
I realize what they were doing:
They were pulling the moon
from its sleep and into the sky
to bless the world,
and even me.
I never knew the moon
needed help.
Maybe we all do.
Revolution
Nobody likes it
when the summons comes from God.
Certainly not Judas.
Everything changes with God.
Turned
up-side down,
and inside out,
this becomes that; that is now this.
The first become last.
Children enter the kingdom.
Demons are cast out.
The sick are healed.
Surely it is the acceptable year
of the Lord.
I wonder if Judas knew
what he was called to do.
If he did,
surely it was a terrible knowledge.
Maybe he was the only one among us
who had the strength
of a broken heart.
We all deny,
doubt,
resist,
flee,
jockey for the favored position.
We all refuse to understand.
We all destroy and hurt.
We all betray.
There is nothing new here.
I wonder if Judas
knew what it would cost
to complete what was
set in motion long ago.
But Judas answered
the summons anyway
and it killed him.
Maybe it is Judas
who sits now
at the right hand
of God,
laughing.
This night,
I count him as friend.
God Bless You, Mary Oliver
after hearing “Thirst”
Maybe it was the words,
or your cadence, or the tone
and timbre of your voice,
or perhaps the gentle space you created.
Maybe it was your impish wisdom.
You took me to a sacred space,
across a threshold
to a place where I had not
visited for a long, long time.
You made it all so simple:
dog, summer day, sun,
deer, mouse, wren,
pond, bear, God—
even God.
Gone and Lost the Words
The conversation spins into a dull silence.
I feel out of control.
Then come all the internal messages:
Red alert. Red alert.
Battle stations. Battle stations.
Dive
Dive.
Dive.
Take us down, helmsman.
Get us out of the line of fire.
Prepare for depth charges.
KA-WHOOOMPP. KA-WHOOOMPP.
* * * * * * * *
Where did I learn this?
In the moment, I stutter.
I squirm. I stammer.
My throat catches.
Nothing comes out.
I am empty.
Later, after the battle,
I feel all the sadness,
frustration, and anger.
I feel wounded,
shamed, and utterly defeated.
I wondered if I am ruined beyond repair.
When
