poetry

Letting Go

cool fog 

pulled in

by the desert’s

hot breathing

small birds

in the cactus

and scrub oak 

sing

morning

so still

the ocean 

far below

the end 

of the road

is

here

letting go

is not

an

action

a doing

a gesture

it is like

the rain

falling

becoming

the stream

the river

the sea

effort

less.

sm 6/ 2016

Nothing but

no body

now

nothing but

Emptiness

no emptiness 

now

nothing but 

fullness 

no world

now

nothing 

but silence 

no silence 

now

nothing but 

singing

no holiness 

now

nothing 

but holiness 

no practice 

now

nothing but

Being

no teaching

now

nothing but

This

sm 9/17

if

if I were to tell you 

the truth of 

who you are 

whisper absolutely 

Nothing

in your sweet ear

it would break 

your tender heart

wide-open 

and all your fear,

longing, belief,

and fractured joy 

would fly wild 

out of your mouth  

like bright 

silver ash

floating skyward 

weightless 

taking their place

as shimmering stars

i would do that

with my dying breath

leave this

husk

of bone and

blood 

behind 

but I can’t...

no combination of words

or sweet singing

will set beautiful 

and free

you

who have never

been bound, nor

apart

always radiant,

always 

completely 

One

with all This.

sm 2020