In Awe of a Sacred Weed
Within the inky alchemy of her cocoon,
writhing like a caterpillar birthing wings,
Datura daydreams.
Under the dark moon and flash of Perseids,
we gaze, breathless…
Moonflower unfurls.
Gown of white sways, swirls, shimmers,
like a priestess in ceremony, entranced
by ancient rhythmic drums, caressed by intoxicated bees.
Evanescent like falling stardust
her luminous lifeforce, siren song of beauty,
fades before my eyes.
She might have bloomed in solitude and quiet glory,
unnoticed, like all the enchantment we miss
when we don’t come out
into the night,
accept the invitation,
and dance in the arms of Gaia.
Luna Moth*
She floats into memory
spiraling lazily in darkness
tenderly unraveling absinthe-glow swirls
threading ancient stars
teetering near wild edges
of childhood dreams
things burnt by sun
wings frayed by flame
tethered to west winds
wishes on wings
archetypes writ large
captives of myth
last night as mist crept through the hemlocks
over fern beds glistening in moonlight
she planted deep roots in the mossy grain of my oak front door
filigree antlers tuned to Neptune
feeling eternity,
she sighs
‘stay awhile’
* Published in the San Diego Poetry Annual 2022
Saguaro*
The sky whispers insistently,
as insistent as the rush of the wind
through this stand of Saguaros.
Storm’s comin’…
Occotillo, creosote, mesquite
twist, bend, strain
beneath the wind’s hand,
wildly dancing to music unheard.
The Saguaro has it – I wish it mine:
Oh, that I could stand
as strong as Saguaros with back steady
against the coming storm.
The desert tapestry of patterns –
repeating like lessons ignored
begging for attention –
unravel in the wind.
Fear takes hold of me.
And they know, the flock of birds
I keep in the cage of my ribs
trapped, skittish elf owls all
Wings flailing about for freedom
I whisper their name through parted lips
they take flight, the dark sky broken
by gossamer dreams on thunderous wings.
* Published in the San Diego Poetry Annual 2021
Nature Becomes Me*
I’ve always lived at the edge of things
teetering at the precipice
on the threshold
of liminal places
dancing between worlds
The edge of the silver sea
soft sand and spirit sky
moonlit marsh punctuated by Pan’s reeds
northern lake dusted with diamond stars
hemlock forest cusp of mystery
before darkness falls
The edge of the canyon,
painted violet carmine poppy
the edge of the wild winter woods,
foretold by shimmering brook
the edge of the solstice meadow,
sprinkled with lady bug blooms
the edge of the moon at dawn,
before stars follow her home
The sea mists lift
diving dolphins revealed
in every breaking wave
heron
statuesque in the tall grass
takes flight, soaring
forest crickets chant,
invite bobcat’s prance among the birch
red fox jumps the twilight stream
to find her fern frond dream bed
In stillness my lungs brim with sea salt breath
raven echoes inside my ears
cedar roots crawl through my bones
my heart pounds like a thunderous running of the deer
My head
full of butterflies
each one a dream
wishes on wings
long ago I daydreamt the ancient memories
engraved across my soul
here in my numinous nemeton
by magic, by alchemy
Nature becomes me,
the lungs, ears, bones, and heart of me
* Won 1st place in the 7th Annual Ross Andrews Nature Poetry Contest, sponsored by the Center for Human-Earth Restoration, 2019
Remembering, Yearning
Thought for trash
skipping on the wind
down the beach
just out of reach…
until it’s not.
In my palm, a fragile paper star
birthed from an old tome of French fairy tales
a torn page
no one would miss
until…
Fairytale readers arrive at the precipice
where the Princess who befriended Dragon
flys to the Moon on Owl’s wings
to be closer to the stars
until…
Once there,
dancing on moon dust,
Princess realizes
she was closer to the stars
on that paper page…
For the page, folded into a star,
held memories of its days as a tree
an ancient tree remembering
spinning shimmering starlight with its branches
before it was a page…
Once an acorn of possibility,
a towering bridge to the Cosmos,
ambitious acorn remembers
being held tight in Mother Earth’s dark embrace
dreaming of dancing with starlight…
All of everything shimmers with stardust
wee specks of starlight bursting
with memories and longing for return
this tattered paper star in my hand
my heart bursting, too
remembering, yearning.
My Wild Heart
In the star silent night
with my lungs full of rose blossom
the soft animal
inside my chest
awakens
flailing wildly about
chaotic flutter, tumble, bam
galloping fiercely
to escape the cage of my ribs.
A midnight reminder
of things that no longer serve me.
New Life
Orbs of pure light shimmering in the dew
nestled on fern fronds unspiraling,
the effervescent magic of green
Anticipating the epiphanous lightening,
the long low rumble of thunder
I stand on the precipice of What Next?
In dreams I soar high above a lake, turned Labradorite
golden threads, shimmering guideposts
through breaking waves of hazel and indigo
I am weaving the remembering of stories
weaving sweet fierce blessings
weaving strands of star light into a new life
Like none I’ve worn before
a fabric rare, ancient, illuminated, a forever embrace
dreaming true, for the very first time
Embodied World
Starlight from ancient galaxies
enters the portal of my open eyes
orbits my mind, courses in my veins, and
I am starlight
Forest dawn
swirls around in my chest
puts down roots, anchors me to this mountain, and
I am forest
Warbler’s joyful song
chitters in my ear
burrows in my heart, becomes my song, and
I am bird in flight
Where does wolf end
where do I begin?
By sacred alchemy
wolf is me now
I look more closely
I step more carefully
I listen more, to every whisper
I’ll not pluck a blossom
For we are one, this world and me,
Every animal, plant, bird, insect, tree.
How can I love you more?
Metamorphosis*
Slow scorching burn inside, cavernous rumbling anger
hissing and crackling of fire
fueled by regrets, of not saying no
of taking on what wasn’t mine to carry.
Burdens unwanted are heavy
transformation is awkward, uncomfortable, uncertain
as the armored scales form, and thunderous wings sprout
shimming eyes widen on new perspectives.
In the cave
in the long impenetrable darkness
here lie sparkling treasures
precious jewels forged by pressure and flame.
On this New Moon,
to an ancient ceremonial drum beat
mysterious seeds
glow and bud within Dragon.
Talons hold fast to earth
a vast tail ensures balance, finally: balance
head high, careening through clouds
rising, embodying full stature and majesty.
Then liberation
breaking completely free
of tight tethers that bind me.
Fly.
Soaring
peaceful
unafraid…
my authentic, badass, fire-breathing self.
* Published in the Fall 2023 issue of Kindred Spirit Magazine
Call of the Artist’s Wild Heart *
In star silent slumber
with lungs full of rose whispers,
the soft animal awakens
in the arroyo of my heart…
flails wildly about,
a chaotic flutter, tumble, bam…
gallops fiercely
attempting to escape the cage of my ribs.
There, a panic, a midnight reminder
of what no longer serves the Muse… what would.
Hey artist girl, turn to the dream, accept the medicine,
that lusty, lyrical Truth of you,
the lifeforce pulsing
through petals unfurling.
Dare to bloom true, blossom bright,
conduct the symphonies of infinite possibilities.
* Published in “Courageous Creative Conquerors: Book I", by Jean Voice Dart
Something Wonderful
I walk alone down the garden path,
breathe deep the rutilated rays of love
Still air shimmers brilliant
with red dragonfly whirls
Spiraling swallows chant
messages from dying stars
As breezes beckon
for butterfly twirls
Awaken softly
to the wilder places
Veils lift
float the quantum field
along filaments of life
singing into being
Something wonderful
is about to happen
