Feather and Stone

Born to fly,
majestic condor
thunderbird of heavens
soars high above humanity
solitude in the grace
of a swollen moon

called to suffering
licking wounds
and
reflecting his own heart's yearning
his own weary tears

ancient memories are battle cries
released in mighty shifts
of bountiful gaia
collapsing structures nourish
soil
for glorious gardens of rebirth

belonging to wind, yet longing to land

Elephant casts her gaze high
drawing down the elders' tales
weaving them back
into community

willing wings
to birth on her heavy shoulders
drinking deeply from source
as she places each foot
steadily on her path

ever patient, ever watchful
for the sacred moments
when earth meets sky

can't sleep
don't want to call and wake you
feeling uprooted
had a drink with a very old friend
on his way to afghanistan
an army captain
he thinks he will build schools and community
he thinks he will work with village elders
he thinks he can be different
my daughter plans her birthday party
has to be better than suzannah's
cars drive by
rivers flow
and i quietly go insane

on being

the mirror reflection
becomes my lover
my enemy

i imagine myself
a singer
wildly loving
the sexy guitarist
carving lyrics on his chiseled shoulders
brandy dripping down my breasts

but my songstress
belongs in the bathroom
lyrics across soapy walls

bubbles foam
as i ready
the vessel of my being
for stories
of tomorrow

i could write a river

our gift is
that we come
empty
open
peaceful

no song
no instrument
no walls
no turning back

the world in revolution
filling liberation squares
babies born into turmoil
children bask in words of elders
and spit them out again
in rap and rhyme
for the camera
chants of freedom
echo across generations
send the tyrants packing

another chink in the armor
of the system

and yet what of freedom
of the mind?
what of freedom
of the soul
bring me to eternity
and i will be free

for the woman who sings
only heaviness in my heart
for you
and those like you
gathering now

rendering into life
the tender hope
of love