More I cannot say
More I cannot say
says the teacher
Elder teaches that which
student already knows
So too I stop
:- Doug.
Archive for the 'Conversations' Category
cross, even dive
We attend. By grace, the between arises to us. Hovers of its own accord. A narrow ridge back and forth we cross, even dive into.
:- Doug.
Modern emigrants
“Right up to the last minute,”
Joelle said to me
“the soul has work to do”
Weeks later her words
lead me to ask
What if it were more than disease
this Alzheimer’s
& these our tribe’s tired
left behind by our
busy-ness and mad rushing
forgotten by us
and themselves?
Are they wanting to forget,
to go off,
these modern emigrants
freeing themselves
of memory
of what so recently was round?
Is this releasing of living?
What is life when it encumbers?
And are we willing to see
perhaps to carry
their food and bedding,
some of their burden in continuing?
& What if it were more than disease
& these our tribe’s explorers?
What might they discover
learn & teach
these modern Magellans
freed of memory?
What is learning
if released from memories?
What is life?
Traveling unencumbered
by memory
how might they move?
Where go?
Maybe it’s we who
hold them back
with talk of yesterday
and this morning
and 5 minutes ago
& we their Sherpas
carrying their food
bedding & tent
while they attend
their ascents
:- Doug.
Pontoons and birdfeed
Today is for many things, for pontoons and returning, birdfeed and poetry, posting and swirling: mainly swirling, swirling in you.
:- Doug.
Eldering is close
Eldering is close to the grandchildren
close to the ancestors
close to community
the universes
close to God
:- Doug.
I want more sleep—and—
I want more sleep—and—
I want to get into the world
Guess I’ll get up!
:- Doug.
In healthy times, Buber says,
In healthy times, Buber says,
Winds of meeting freshen even the dullest
It is incumbent upon our elders
Even in unhealthy times
To keep doing the healthy things
:- Doug.
She gets the better of me
She gets the better of me
My wife in our spats
“You said” —and instantly
I cannot remember
What either of us said
Truly I was not there
In the words
Only in the emotions or
In the between of us
Or maybe only my I was there
Wanting to scrap for my me
In either case immersed
In our us
Converse is not only
Butterflies and blue skies
Converse gets the better of us
The truth of us
Confused? Swirled:
Converse is the better of us
:- Doug.
Where are they now?
Where are they now
We ask of famous ones gone by
Ask instead, Where are we now?
:- Doug.
Not able to breathe
When we run out of trees for toilet paper, we will no longer be able to breathe.
:- Doug.
