The weekend

Grandchildren held, loved, in parents loving arms,  the car drives to

gardens eager for care,  markets to attend, reunions,

 partners, friends gather

 in celebration of renewed health, 

offer support for life's journey's calling 

to Australia,  to awareness, to deepening 

appreciation of self and art and creativity, 

together long for peace, seek hope for Syrian selves. 

serve, eat food for funds, 

to make our world a more humane place, 

rise, believe, share, 

vote, pray, 

supporting dreams, 

believing change is possible, is probable.  

By telephone, in email, in person, stories are shared, 

lives enriched, 

narratives blurr 

energies become one.

gkn October 2015

Buddha Sits

                          Sitting on our porch, sacred sanctuary, 

              Buddha sits

               under the birch tree, sedum blooming at his side

               solid rock surroundings.

                           Breakfast eaten, green tea sipped, water bottle emptied.

                           I sit, 

                           wondering about words from 

                            pen to paper scribbled

  A sacred journey continuing, chosen 

  work, to be, 

  with Buddha, Jesus, Allah, Krishna, Mother...

          Contemplative, reflective, aware of breath, of

          sound, grateful for butterfly, hummingbird, ripening tomatoes, 

          My home built many years before ( over 100 I am told) 

          a sure foundation holds it still.

                             Holds me, the sacred stories time unfolds, within, around

                             

Silence

          Silence

          a treasure to being, so often filled, 

          by questioned uncertainty, shoulded messages.

                              I sit

                              pen in hand, two pink roses call me, 

                              rain specked, bending in the breeze, being, just being

                              roses.

                              

                              Being just being, a writer, sitting pen in hand, 

                              words emerge, sometimes, surprising me, life's invitation

      

Gentle breezes blow. 

gkn, sept. 2015

            

                          

 

Earthlings

A downy woodpecker taps, tap tap

A hummingbird, " did you see it," he asked,  

whirring barely missing 

Sixty years, seventy seven sudden

stroke, anyuerisum

A monarch hits the window.

nine months, five years, 

cancer

Eighty eight your mother was, 

diminishing health, 

years passed

how long could breathe sustain her body? 

The front yard shading chestnut dies slowly, leaves curling

How long could you live with the grief of slow death? 

One year, gregorian named, a choir practise

Interrupted

"Your Mother Died," shouted words whispered.

How else could I have told you?

gkn sept.2015

Bruce Trail

Noisy river flowing through, beside me.

Rapids under bridges, built by valued volunteers, known, unknown, 

maintaining rivers flow, winding, still, 

through shadows, verdent, sun speckled light

in path covered tunnels.

Green, black outlined spots of leopard frogs hide

in plain view, how many have I missed? 

Calm waters pool delight, no recent beaver chew 

where have you gone?

Steep, heart pounding climb, I stop to 

     rest and catch my breath, 

my life.

Sunshines through the blue

invitation to new companions, a walking

stick, water washed rock landslide, bird song, footing.

Planted on this earth, 

a self,

living one wild and wonderful life.

gkn sept. 2015

Harriet

Month of wedding celebration, refreshing bay swims, 

provincial park camping, visions lost, found.

family  drama, comedy, tragedy, alive 

Light changing around and within, September's

fall equinox shadow is pushing its way 

into the morning sunrise, the sunsets 

quickening, dreams, Australia's 

welcome in 6 weeks, a solo 

adventure through Samhain's New Year invitation

Wind blows through seasons, my tree of life necklace 

arrived, a gift of celebration, 

the bag you always carried for your stool, 

now mine, four months of firsts have passed, 

since you died, left this earth in human form, 

tears flow as you are present with me through all 

the gifts of time on earth I am privy to. 

Not my time to go, you say again, 

Live the days,you cheer my flight booked, my 

morning swim, the love we share.

gkn Sept. 2015

A Tummy Ache

"What shall I do about a tummy ache," the text read.

"Call me," my smart ass reply, believing only in

the passing ache of too much deep fried goodness. 

Arriving home your palor,  told a story of no ordinary deep fried 

delights pain,  fear found me, reminding me of killer tummy aches, 

stole San Fransiisco dreams, yelling selfish, deserved suffering refrains. 

Notice me joy called, mindful awareness swept through the leaves, 

waves washed solace, acceptance 

does not mean liking it.  Life's invitation to further growth, opening to the way ahead

swimming through waves, sunbeams, cool breezes 

merge.

gkn August.2015

For Flighty

"Born on the plane," your mother says, 

The nurse, offered a name.

Wedding stories, of your strength, your perseverance,

your beauty, 

so obvious here today, 

shine through, 

shone in my life for 10 years now, 

an airport our first place of meeting, 

you became my beloved fourth daughter

your son my first grandchild.

Today a grand feast, a celebration of

love, your gift.

Gathered together after years of separation, 

community! 

Crossing  lines 

divisions not accepted here

peace 

connection.

War no more.

Your life takes another step forward. 

Bless you my girl! 

Oh, how beloved you are! 

Blessed am I among women.

August 2015 gkn