Category Archives: Relationships

Arranged

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Photos so neatly arranged in albums
tell the story we want to remember
of life, of love, of laughter…

The problem is:
the photos are staged.
“Now look here!”
“Smile!”
“Say cheese!”
“Stop pinching your brother!”
“Don’t make bunny ears behind your sister’s head!”
Staged, I tell you,
more than a play ever was,
is,
or will be.

Because after all,
photos do not tell the truth,
no matter how consciously arranged.
They only tell
the story we want to remember.

—
Written for
dVerse,
not in response to the photos posted, but to the theme of arranging things.

Sing the Song

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Instrument: Tempo – Seagull Excursion Folk Acoustic Guitar

1. Sing the song of love and light!
It gives your Spirit power and might
And takes away the fight or flight.
Sing the song of love and light!
Refrain:

2. Sing the song of hope and care!
It spreads compassion everywhere
And makes the burdens less to bear.
Sing the song of hope and care!
Refrain:

3. Sing the song of sweet release!
It calms the mind and gives you peace
And tells the rushing winds to cease.
Sing the song of sweet release!
Refrain:

Refrain:
The One-in-All-is-singing song,
The music of the heav’nly throng
We come to earth to pass along
The One-in-All-is-singing song!

The More Strings Change

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I changed my guitar strings today. It wasn’t “time.” I mean, they weren’t dull-sounding, frayed, rusted, or going out of tune. In fact, they sounded great! But they felt like barbed wire cutting into my fingers! Just because someone recommends something, doesn’t mean it will work just as well for me. So I swapped them for my favorite, softer, silk-wrapped strings. They still sound great, even with a little less volume. But the experience is much better. You see, the more strings change, the more they play the same.

spiral in and out
seasons, relationships, life
constant as they change

—
Written for the last-for-now Haibun Monday prompt at
dVerse.

Love Fully

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Instrument: Tempo – Seagull Excursion Folk Acoustic Guitar

1. O you can love my body,
But you are missing much.
‘Cause I am more than everything
You see and hear and touch.

Refrain:
Love fully,
The aspects and the whole.
Love freely,
Body, mind and soul.

2. And you can love my intellect
For all I understand.
But even that is limited;
It isn’t who I am.
Refrain:

3. O you can love my soul,
And how I wish you would!
But all alone it’s nothing
Except in God the Good!
Refrain:

And don’t you worry if it seems too hard to do now,
‘Cause only God can make Agape love shine through now.
Seek the kingdom deep in you,
And you’ll come to see it too.
May your love reflect the truth!

So you love fully,
All your aspects and the whole.
Love freely,
Love your body, mind and soul.

‘Cause only then
Can you reach out your hand
And love others fully,
The aspects and the whole.
Love them freely,
Body, mind and soul.

Love freely,
Body, mind and soul.

Related

Ultimate Wish

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I used to wish for things
And buy them when I could,
But found out that the tools
Don’t make the living good.

Creating all I want
And learning something more,
The skills have served me well,
But life was still a chore…

At last I looked within,
Expecting darkest space:
But found instead the Light
Beyond this time and place.

It’s hard sometimes to calm
When problems need a fix;
The mind does loops and swirls,
Up to so many tricks.

We try and try to force
And everything to solve.
Yet there is only Power
In knowing peace and love.

What’s this to do with wishes?
I never ask for more
Than being the potential
That shimmers at my core.

All things that I could hope for,
Could want or ever be
Are manifest already;
I only wish to see!

—
My response to Mish’s wonderful prompt at
dVerse.

I’ve done enough wishful thinking in my life, and it’s never measured up. I don’t regret it, but now do my best to let Universal Intelligence “think” through me and not to rest all my hope and expectations on material things – ore people!

How you Play the Game

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Instrument: Brio – Red Cedar Concert Ukulele

1. I don’t know who said it;
If you do, please tell me so.
Now here’s a bit of truth, just the same.
Through all our daily living,
As we come and go,
It’s not whether you win or lose
But how you play the game.
Refrain:

2. How amazing is it
That the little bit we think
Determines all the choices that we make!
Keep a tally, good or bad,
But here’s the missing link.
It’s not whether you win or lose
But how you play the game.
Refrain:

3. Every day you’re working,
See the Light in you,
And kindle it to spark a bigger flame.
Pass it on to people
By being kind and true.
It’s not whether you win or lose
But how you play the game.
Refrain: (Twice)

Refrain:
[So] play the game with love as your currency
And peace as the company you keep.
Move with your mind on eternity,
And don’t forget to rest before you sleep,
Put everything to rest before you sleep.

Download Mp3

Right click this link and choose “Save target as…” or similar to download and save.
How You Play the Game – Ukulele Mp3.

Related

Currency

Labor of Love

Moral Compass

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Instrument: Brio – Red Cedar Concert Ukulele

Refrain:
What does it mean to be good?
What does it mean to do what you should?
How do you know what’s right?
What does it mean to go far?
What does it mean to be who you are?
How do you see the Light?

1. Society can’t help you ’cause it’s broken.
It answers with a question leaving doubt.
And loving one another is a token
Of words we just can’t seem to carry out.
So
Refrain:

2. We’ve got to learn to look beyond the faces
Of those who preach the practice of the truth.
The teacher’s in the most unlikely places-
It shimmers in the soul that lives in you!
So ask it
Refrain:

How can I be the Light?
What does it mean to be good?

Tanka Experiment

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ocean swirls and churns
feelings thought dead resurface
rumbles of desire
tides wash out unconsciousness
deposit new embraces

—
My first knowing try of this “female” Japanese form. I wrote some over a decade ago, but doubt I really understood the form. I’m not sure I understand it yet, but Toni is helping out over at
dVerse MeetingTheBar. 🙂

Eternal Symphony

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silent in its softness
LOUD in its absence
musical in the unspoken, unsung
lyrical in expressive wisdom
harmonious through the world’s dissonance
BIG BANG of creation
unfolding of love

—
For Walt’s “the sound of love” prompt at
dVerse.

Join us! Read and be enriched!

Related

Eternal Love

The Sound of Creation

The Music Inside