Words upon the wind –

let’s not be swept away.

Are the seeds this wind bears

ones we want to keep?

Will such seeds bring forth

the harvest that we seek?

Words upon the wind –

let’s not be swept away.

                                                                                                  JDG

Not one to hold back,

that Blue Jay let me know,

in no uncertain  terms,

that weekend or no weekend,

he didn’t expect

to wait all day

for his meal 

to be placed before him.

                                                                                            JDG

All along the road

tiny bits of sun came down,

took root, and grew. On

overcast mornings like these,

I’ll borrow some light from them.

                                                                                     JDG

Cherry blossoms sang

pink and strong inspiring

dogwood and redbud

to carry on as their own

sweet voices began to fade.

                                                                            JDG

Another middle of the night survey

of all that’s wrong

with the world and me – 

and another chance to practice.

 This time I’ll try that ancient form

of  meditation, tonglen.

I’ll breathe in fear, foolishness, and hate

and breathe out their antidotes,

courage, wisdom, and love.

When the air is filled with these,

perhaps I’ll find my way to restful sleep.

                                                                                                   JDG

I never swam with the dolphins.

I never ran with the wolves,

but once I danced in a swirling skirt

beneath a partial moon.

I never danced out far.

I never danced in deep,

but when was that ever a bar

to any dance we keep?

                                                                                                              JDG

(With apologies to Robert Frost)

They’re not singing

for their supper,

that chorus line

of many colors,

yet with their feathers

and their flutter,

it’s a show

like no other.

                                                                             JDG

After a lifetime

lost in others’ words, I now

yearn to find my own.

Entering into silence

I wait, hoping to

hear the sound of my own voice,

allow it to overflow.

                                                                                    JDG