In memory

Noelle Noelle
You left us too soon
To dance away pain with the man on the moon
With glitter and stardust
You move and you sway
With tears and with sorrow
We remember today.

no matter how hot the brush fires burn
and the smoke curls its fingers into my hair
with the sweat beading and trickling
the heat searing and scorching the land

i can still breath in the dry heat
reminiscent of the embers deep within

waiting for the wind
waiting for the chance to burn brightly

asha

we huddled around the makeshift grave:

a small evergreen with a small bluebell entangling the spiny dwarf

a small wood box that fit in your hand sat unmoving at the foot

and red stones arranged by a mother's hand I presumed

four coral tipped roses marked her unlived life to date

and a memory box holding a small teddy bear for the little one

a tissue for the tender hearted

and a candle to remember

to shed some light on the senselessness of it all

completed the shrine

we sprinkled our tobacco

we huddled around as the elders prayed

the sweet grass dancing around us a meandering dirge

purifying the mind, eyes, ears, mouth heart and body of the living

acknowledging the dead

she scattered the ashes

her blonde hair streaking cross her face

as the wind mixed the elements

and the rain washed over in cold pellets

that hurt when they touched our warm skin

but tricked down our chest and shivering legs

i saw asha's ashes speckle the witness' brown leather boots

like powdery grey snow

and then the rain shower erased every trace

in grey riverlets she disappeared into the ground

where ashes are to ashes and dust is to dust

o great spirit he said in his rich deep voice

they sang

but i was not listening

i was watching a mother let go and a spirit leave us

Livia

a sprightly imp
her eyes dance gypsy
curling lips drawing you into the steps
color and riot are her sisters
and laughter her brother

oh that i could dance this sleepy morning away with jingles and scarves
and fill up my purse with the gold coins of friendship
then contented and full
rest my dizzied head upon her posied lap

I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

i painted with the children on my hands and knees.

green grass.

i sang with them my songs and saw the hope spring up in their flashing eyes and bouncing bodies.

it made me smile and warmed my heart. 

I had long forgotten the pleasure of cookies and juice and Jesus stories.

a communion of sorts.

and i welcomed into their midst as an equal celebrating the mystery

in this simple yet poignant way.

just as a child.

sometimes i can't put away the urge to speak these things

not yell them from the mountain top

to grab the attention of the passerby

but simply to write the story

let the words be said in silence 

written down

outside of me

it is like they wrestle in me fighting for a chance to be heard

sometimes too sacred to speak aloud

sometimes just trivial and needing a voice

sometimes angry and violent

sometimes demanding an audience

in silent revelry

to hear the tapping of  keys

to feel the words transported onto the page

evaporating from my pulsating humanity

from thoughts into powerful ideas

they are only words

but some how they speak of life and truths that need expression

i can't explain the urge

all i know is that if i do not allow them freedom

they will die chained to the prison of the mind

fighting hard against the cold steal

churning and boiling within

there is catharsis in the end

to close the book and say

it is said

not mattering if any will read or even agree

but some how in the mere saying

it has made me feel alive

it has released the restless spirit inside

longing for the freedom it demands

too those who can just speak it out

i wish i could

but somehow bound by an oath of silence

i write to escape this sentence

i write to defy the order

i write to have my say

i must

or i would die

i write so others can who have no will to write these thoughts

will be free by my saying them

will be affirmed in our shared truth

will live because the words were brought out into the open

saying words without speaking aloud

silencing the voiceless screams

calming fears

healing hurts without a physical touch

yet touching something deep within

all this from a thought given a voice through words

all this from the power of the word

Paul

This is a poem
its not very long
its all about Paulie
who likes to write songs
he's kind of like bono
he likes to wear shades
just a bit of a rock star
who doesn't get paid