A Mother’s Blessing

Imagine how happy Earth was
the day you opened your new born eyes
and drew your first breath

in a green forest that
sheltered unfolding ferns, wildflowers, fledglings
and you – an innocent fawn.

The mourning doves cooed,
ground hogs danced
the nearby hills murmured with astonishment.

Others gathered to see you
sniff your freshness
admire your raw, emerging awareness

And the forest sang you a birthing song
of greeting and sheltering …

Welcome new one to a space of wonder,
fields, streams, sunshine and rain.
This will be your home for a short while
until the Spirit that birthed you calls you home.

May your wildness be a blessing
a beacon for all to see how plain innocence
can be a way of life,
and unconditional living
is the truest nature of all creatures.

May you grow in grace and ease.
May confident peace and joy
move freely through your soul.

May you know wonder as a friend
and parcel of your own nature.
May you find comfort in the soul
that weaves all together
and is your truest home.

Amen.

©poem and photo by caf

Whence Coffee?

What is this liquid heat I have guzzled on mornings beyond count?
Is it dirt – black and grainy?
Is it root or bark – ground and bitter without any sweetness?
From where does it collect its flavor?
Does the sun, source of fire and warmth
add to its astringent taste?
Like a soul, it must be finely ground
to be useful.
Some say it comes from a bean grown on tree or bush.
I say it is liquid Earth
black, oily delight for my spirit.

©poem and photo by caf

Remember

Consider the Great Love
who first imagined you
constructed your soul and body
instilled your breath
distilled the beat of stars into your heart.

Recall the river
who entered your spine at birth
and runs up and down
flowing through your limbs and organs
whose glittering surface
shines through your eyes and face.

Consider you did not will any of this to happen
It occurred by grace of Life.
You made a space for it
as air makes space for birds
holding them up gently on currents
as it does also with clouds.

Remember the Great Love
the river
the air and clouds
for they are the truest self you have.

©poem and photo by caf

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A Prayer With Commentary by Wind

Wind wanders through trees

touching leaves

blessing rocks, waters and Earth

teaching herself about them

and her own limits.

Forest,

home to Common Raven and Wren

rock and leaf

moss and ice,

blow from me the anxious breath of past storms

and replace it with calm certainty and peaceful grace.

As geese assume the currents

that carry them

may the flow seeking me

find me quickly and carry me aloft.

Wind says

I am curiosity

  I cannot blow myself,

still my breath touches these things I see.

          I am my own breath.

You are a Common Human,

but extraordinary in your Being.

How could you be otherwise

having breathed My sacred air.

©photo and poem by caf




Beyond the Chair

Beyond the chair

the window

                the tree outside

 and past that the field

 and further still a hill sheltered by trees.

The one who lives on the hill dwells in fog,

in rain, snow, sun, fallen leaves

 and from these things

she gathers to herself her own self

the essence of her particular thoughts and sentences.

Her life.

And with this life she opens to sky,

clouds, air and sun until

her spirit flies into space, freedom without barriers.

Until she clearly and plainly hears

what she has to say to heaven

©photo and poem by caf

Passing the Light

Lazy moon in her bed of night sky

makes no light of her own

but only reflects the sun

and trusts the earth to keep her orbit steady.

She lights our darkest world

and her burnished body covers the pines in lacy glow and shadow.

Yes, this spoiled child creates miracles of beauty while doing nothing

but sharing the light she has been given.

©photo and poem by caf

What the Tree Said

What the Tree Said

The tree extends to her

across the road and river

a branch, its wing with flowers white and delicate.

She looks into the centers of calm harmlessness

as they attend to her gaze with

offerings of healing fragrance.

Their spirit offers her inclusion in their peace

and they whisper

when nothing within is defended

 or denied, you, too,

will awaken to your own beauty.

©photo and poem by caf

The Mystery

Waning moon

Stars, small suns to other worlds

the smell of morning.

No matter the evil,

the ugly,

or the political,

the Mystery is still here.

©photo and poem by caf

A Guitar and Max

A Guitar and Max

You are the soul of so many tunes

and my soul as well

old friend – what do you think of your life with me?

stuck in a closet

needing new strings and a tuning.

You are a grand lady

who has served me well

and I will not give you up

although our times being with each other have grown scarce and thin.

Old Max brought us together

muttering over his work bench

tuning, humming

looking for tiny screws with a magnifying glass

eyeglasses heavy on his nose

covering innocent eyes that saw

an awkward young girl in need of hope

and someone’s notice.

He spoke to her in musical words

like strings and sound boards, tuners, and horn bells

and the best language of all, born of unaffected innocence of observation…

the language of the heart.

©photo and poem by caf

A Pond With No Name

A deep tureen

concealed by forest foliage

and therefore mysterious.

crafted by beavers,

quiet but for birds and insects

singing her secret name

while raindrops drum her surface.

Dead wood and weeds clog her banks

where dragonflies are born

and grow in her slimy gumbo.

To those who live there

she is the ocean,

the bottomless crater that holds the world.

But as this wondrous old bowl

reflects the clouds and stars

she dreams she is the sky.

©Photo and poem by caf