The Unfurling

Photo by Pat Denino [Click on the photo to enlarge]

The Unfurling
by Steven Crisp

"So tell me," my friend seemed to ask as her photo
flashed across my screen, "what do you see?"

Before the question was fully formed, the answer emerged ...

I see the moment of our Universe's creation
Life emerging from the warmth and protection of the womb
Grabbing existence itself from the death and decay of its forebears
Evolution and Nature and God and Buddha each graciously unfurling
Change and Turbulence and Movement and Flux eveloping us
As we arise, every moment, from the crucible of pure awareness
And share joy and beauty and sustenance with one another

So tell me, if you would be so kind ... what do you see?

Damn Distraction

Damn Distraction
by Steven Crisp

My thoughts are like gymnasts,
gracefully jumping between e-mails,
swinging to the cell phone, and
pummel-horsing on my to do list.

Then all of a sudden,
announced by a soft chime,
dressed in a revealing little outfit, she calls me over
to my dual screen display to find ... a poem?

But it doesn’t fit,
like the Ringling Bros clown car
flooded by a river of Buddhist monks,
it just doesn’t fit.

My purpose slips over the threshold
like the coolness of my basement office
when I open the door on a hot summer day.
Why did he send it to me?

And why am I now so drawn to it?

Let’s play some hide-and-go-seek, tag-you’re-it.
Why don’t you cover your eyes
and begin to count,
one-mississippi, two-mississippi

And when you reach one hundred,
come search for me in vein,
and I will stick my fingers in my ears,
pretending not to hear “ollie-ollie-in-come-free.”

Don’t blame me for my disappearance, it’s all His fault.
He broke the shell of my candy-coated existence
He pounded my chest and restarted my heart,
for surely I was flatlining.

Damn distraction, that blessed reminder

In a daze

In a Daze
by Steven Crisp

I awakened after a restless sleep
A little tired, my head a little sore
Took a walk in the cool crisp morning
To see what the day might have in store

I noticed that I couldn't really focus
On any one thing in particular
Instead the world around me just flowed
It was beautiful -- simply spectacular

To see the world, and find acceptance
To be grateful for what is, and what is not
Can you feel that peaceful bliss?
You must feel it, for it isn't just a thought

Others see you in that state
And wonder what the heck is up
Did you have too much wine last night?
Perhaps you should have left the last cup

But they know you're someplace special
They've seen you there once before
And they're curious about that look of yours
To see what that daze might have in store

Blinded by the Light

OK, we are going to try a slightly different approach, at the suggestion of another blogger. I will post poems I receive in comments directly, making it easier to read when reviewing the blog. SO I guess I have to start ...

Blinded by the Light
by Steven Crisp

As a child I had been taught
With a young impressionable mind
To never look directly at the sun
For it just might make me blind

But deep inside, I felt the call
I heard my heart, what could befall?
To listen to that voice, so soft and calm
A soft lullaby, a favorite psalm

As I matured and became educated
I knew reason would now be my guide
Enough with these feelings, these voices
That stirred from somewhere deep inside

Work would consume, and family distract
Two children and pets, that's quite an act
Parents to care for, a house to maintain
To say what was missing, I could not explain

Then gazing outward, I could now see it all:
The light, the dark, and the great and small
My God, the fertile void, Infinity and the sun
And now gazing inward, I see we are all One

Golden Light

It was a very windy day on the North Shore of Oahu. Surfer's paradise. Except today the conditions were so severe, they had to close the beaches. Just out of the frame of this photo, is Keep Out tape warning all swimmers and surfers of the dangerous undertow. No matter for me -- I just like taking pictures!

Golden Light
by Steven Crisp

Waves raise their tridents from the deep
and mount their golden steeds
to bravely ride and never sleep
until the craggy shore concedes

The rocks surrenders into sand
the amber foam and froth unite
into sparkling waves that land
on golden beaches with delight

From this fury, mist is born
which whispers through the land
until one day there comes a storm
and rains upon the earth as planned

As dawn emerges from the night
to songbirds welcoming in rhyme
the orb that brings a golden light
to illuminate our soul sublime

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cheating again, I know. But I thought I'd show just how easy this game is:

Peace is in the waves at sea.
Peace must begin with you and me!

Gander Middle School
Gander, Newfoundland, Canada

That small pearl was found here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Words by Pat Denino

I hear your shouts, your laughter, your song.
I yearn to play where you play.

You will, but not now.
Remain in the body.
Be the blood that gives the body life.
Be the tears that give voice to the soul.

One day you will join us
again.

Ah, Pat,
I think I can hear that low rumbling voice myself ...
Thanks for sharing the voices in your head ;-)

Do you have the time?

OK, its only week 2 and I am already cheating. But I cannot pass up on this classic poem in the context of this photograph, the blog title, and the linked post. But please, still offer your own poetic creations. Yes, you do have the time. ;-)

Leisure
by W. H. Davies

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do You Have the Time?
by Steven Crisp

Do you have the time ... to notice who I AM?

I AM the signature of palm trees
Gently swaying in the evening breeze
Those fluid strokes with jagged leaves
That stand against the sun and seas

I AM dappled sky of mauve and umber
That sometimes visits twice in number
But will be gone if long you slumber
Come find me friend, and do not lumber

A smile I bring, perchance a tear
You’ve traveled far, but now are near
You need not tremble with hope nor fear
I AM the sound of silence that you hear

That creative spark within your being
That paints the picture you are seeing
I AM that one that some are fleeing
But recognize me and I AM freeing

Just below the surface

All right folks. Here is the first photo entry. Yes, it is the same as a post I made over at Reflections of Beauty, but that's OK. That's commentary and discourse. This is Photographs and Poetry. And to save you the trouble, when it's from another of my blogs, the title itself will be a link to that other blog entry -- just click on it.

So, to show you what I had in mind, I also made the first comment. It is my attempt at a poem to accompany this picture. What? Think you can do better? Well, I have no doubt ;-) But you have to prove that to us by posting your poem as a comment. (Note: the comment window will "float" so you can place it next to the photograph to help you generate your pearls of poetry ;-)

Finally, my blogger friend Pat Denino is the one who put me up to this (actually, only a gentle offer). She's got something else planned over at MyTown. Pat, please have your staff of editors ;-) feel free to download my photos and (god forbid) my poems if you would like to include them over there. I haven't figured out all that hifalutin stuff yet.

OK ... now on to the Photographs ... and the Poetry ...

Just Below the Surface
by Steven Crisp

Tickle, trickle
Bubble, trouble
Something caught my ear ...

Stillness, calmness, it is clear
Quiet I can almost hear
The sound of silence, never fear ...

Razzle, dazzle
Flitter, glitter
Something caught my eye ...

Just below the surface shy
Beauty found at once nearby
Presence, patience, I'll comply ...

What may come of time thus spent?
Will it help to pay the rent?
Perhaps we'll find a bigger coin
If kindred spirits choose to join