[poetry]

On silent retreat I did a lot of reading and writing of poetry... now for your reading pleasure.

Feel Free

Go on.

ask that question

which burns in your

mind.

That one you never

ask for fear of the

answer.

We are never

promised solutions,

only a listening ear.

Let me be that ear

for you.

Go on, now.

What were you asking me?

This Rocky Path

This rocky path

I trod

has a glimmer of familiarity.

I've been here before

This rocky path

I trod

is lined with

the histories

of so many others.

This rocky path

I trod

is one full

of sadness and despair,

and feelings of failure.

This rocky path

I trod

has a history of

"try try again" and

"never give up."

This rocky path

I trod

held tightly to

the promise of

hope and freedom.

This rocky path

I trod

reminds me of

tumultuous years

long gone by.

This rocky path

I trod

is not just about

me.

It's about us.

This rocky path

we trod

is home to resistance

and non-violent

movements.

This rocky path

we trod

holds fighters and martyrs

close to its heart.

This rocky path

we trod

seems to last

forever

but thats why we trod

together.

Surrounded

There it is!

All over the pond,

the path,

even in the trees.

It sits,

no, it doesn't just

sit,

it glides.

It swirls

with the wind.

Its thick-bodied self

moves with

fluid density.

In the midst

are some birds-

ducks and geese.

Amid their conversation

they are not disturbed by it.

In fact,

no matter the

still waters,

or the ripples

created by those webbed feet.

It never disperses

just dances.

I move to the

far side of the

pond,

where it once

swirled about.

But wait,

it is still present

even though

I don't see it

around me.

I am enveloped

by it. I

know its there

and here.

Right here.

Not just the

fog, though.

The Spirit too.

It moves with me,

dancing gently

with my being.

I am surrounded-

no matter where I

go-

by the Spirit of

the Living God.