No Judgement

up vs. down
soft vs. hard
light vs. dark

in vs. out
warm vs. cold
full vs. empty

yes vs. no
rich vs. poor
seeing vs. blind

smooth vs. rough
pull vs. push
joy vs. sorrow

it's not about
right vs. wrong -
it's about you vs. me

Things to Believe In

Trees, in general, and oaks -
especially Western gamble oaks that survive fire,
and the generosity of apples
falling to the ground.

Seeds, all of them -
winged maple, thistle and poppy,
signaling the inevitability
and beauty of change.

Throaty frog songs at twilight,
the hiss of cicadas in summer,
cattle lowing on a farm,
the sweetness of well-loved music.

Warm and savory soups,
pot roast, of course,
the bite of yeast rising -
good work, hugs, kind words from a friend.

The constancy of ocean waves,
star-studded night skies,
the bedrock of granite mountains -
and anything at all breaking through.

In Memory of Dr. Paul Edmonston
February 3, 2011

Thievery

it came like a thief in the night,
soundlessly, without warning -
and before you had time
to count what you might lose,
it took all you had
and you were gone

- In memory of Dr. Paul Edmonston,
beloved scholar, artist, teacher and my father.
February 3, 2011