Sunglint Butterflies

The moment exists

and slips my grasp today

as it does on many

As present bliss is lost

in time that will not be detained

even if I resist the flow

An unseen force is moving

through me...and I question

if the current knows the stream, or

if consciousness can recognize

living as it seems

Is simple awareness reality

and living just a dream?

Or is the truth of Being

somewhere inbetween?

Human born, we are born to see

that balance is a mystery,

a cosmic dance...

Siva, getting down, getting on,

getting free!

Destined for more

than a meal and a mate,

we must daily choose our fate

and fell the power of the stream...

for we are carried, after all!

Yet, it's up to us to paddle

and not to drift, for ultimate

enlightenment

Sunglint butterflies scintillate their flight

upon the windrift soul of water

flowing over stone...

I'm on the bridge, above the stream...

again, the Sun is bursting

light and water over me!

© Gerry Sackett, 2019

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

To Open All the Doors and Windows I Can Find

WAFTING SUN ON WINDED WATER

MAKES THE RIVER MOLTEN GOLD

LET ME BASK IN THIS MOMENT’S GRACE

ISN’T THIS MY PLACE?

TO OPEN ALL THE DOORS AND WINDOWS I CAN FIND?

TO LISTEN, TO SEE, AND FEEL THE DIVINE?

NINE HUNGRY BUZZARDS CRUISE THE SKY,

WIND CHAFES THROUGH THE RIVER PINE,

I MOVE CLOSER TO THE WATER

NOW I FEEL THE HEAT —

FIRE AND WATER ARE MINGLING, THEY CONSORT,

(I DO NOT COMPETE)

FIRE BURNS BRIGHT

AND MOVES ACROSS THE WATER INTO ME —

WE ARE ONE !

I BASK IN THE MOMENT

© Gerry Sackett, 2019

Sunset over the River Cam
Photo by Andrew Dunn
from Wikimedia Commons
(This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.)

The Only Consequence of Truth

I’M NAKED ON THE JAMES,

BODY AND SOUL, BUT

CAN I BE AS HONEST AS TRUTH?

CAN I REACH INTO FEELING TIME,

WRITE DOWN AND COMMIT TO INK

WHAT I THINK, WHAT’S REALLY

ON MY MIND AND IN MY HEART?

JUST WHERE DO I START?

A SEPARATION IS SURE

BETWEEN TRUTH AND FANTASY--

BUT WHERE’S THE LINE I MUST DIVINE

TO INVEST ONE WITH REALITY?

THESE SANDED BANKS OF THE RIVERSIDE

MAKE RECORD OF A FLOOD THAT ROSE IN TIME--

BUT EVEN THAT RECORD WILL SUBSIDE

AS TIME AND FLOOD AMORE SLIP BY.

SO WHY IS THE MARK

OF MY FLOODED HEART WITH LOVING

SUCH A MONUMENT?

CANYONS ETCHED BY TIME IN STONE

RESIST THE PASSAGE OF MEMORY,

WITNESS AND MAINTAIN THE TRUTH.

THIS IS NOT TO BE DENIED, YET

MEMORIES CAN’T BE DEIFIED.

THE ONLY CONSEQUENCE OF TRUTH

IS THAT WE ARE, AS WE ARE.

WHAT WE MAY YET BE

REMAINS IN TIME FOR US TO SEE.

WE HUMANS ARE UNIQUE, I GUESS.

FOR WE, OF ALL, ARE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE

A PERSONAL MIX OF REALITY AND MUSE.

LODGED BESIDE THE WATER’S EDGE,

WINDED TEXTURES FILL MY EYES,

COLORS LEAP IN BRIGHTENED HUES,

THE SPIRIT OF CHANGE, ALONE, ABIDES.

EVEN THE TREES

WHICH BY PRIMAL GRIP AND TENACITY

HOLD THE EDGE TODAY,

TOMORROW MIGHT BE SWEPT AWAY--

ONLY IN THE MOMENT CAN WE STAY!

IS THIS WISDOM?

IS THIS LIGHT?

IS THIS SALVATION?

OR IS THIS OUR PLIGHT?

ALL I KNOW, AS I WALK AND STOP

ALONG THE RIVER HERE

IS THAT EVERYTHING IS MORE THAN IT APPEARS.

THE LONG RAYS SHOW

AS THEY RANGE ACROSS THE BOTTOMLAND, 

LEAVES OF GRASS ARE TALLER THAN THEY STAND,

AND SEED PODS LITTERING THE SANDED WAY

ARE ENLIGHTENED IN THEIR DISARRAY.

AS EVENING FLOWS UP TO THE STARS

AND STILLNESS GATHERS IN THE MAW, 

EVEN THE CLACKING OF THE CROWS

SOFTENS INTO AWE.

CRICKETS NOW TAKE UP THE SONG.

HOW THE MOMENT LINGERS ON!

© Gerry Sackett, 2018

James River from Robius Landing Park
by OlWhitey
from Wikimedia Commons

I Feel the Edge of Myself Now

HOW I LOVE MUSIC

THAT MOVES THE TEARS IN MY HEART 

TO MY EYES!

---- I COULDN’T DO THAT IF I TRIED

AND THAT IS WHY

I BELIEVE IN THE TRUTH OF FEELING

ABOVE THE POWER TO REASON MY WAY

I WISH I COULD CRY EVERYDAY

I WISH I COULD MAP THE COURSE OF MY TEARS

SO WHEN I FEEL LOST

I COULD FIND MY WAY CLEAR

TO GET BACK TO MY SOUL ----

TO THAT BREAKAWAY MOMENT OF UNITY,

OF CERTAINTY,

WHOLE

I FEEL THE EDGE OF MYSELF NOW,

LIKE A CURTAIN OF LIGHT ----

SATORI IS NOT SO FAR AWAY,

JUST A WINK OF THAT SELF-IN-TIME

I AM, AND YOU ARE, DIVINE

I WANT THE COMPANY OF THOSE

WHO STIR UP THE RIVER OF TEARS I’VE STORED,

TO FLOW AND FLOOD DOWN ALL THE YEARS

UNTO THE BLISS

OF ALWAYS

© Gerry Sackett, 2018

Picture taken inside the lens at Pigeon Point Lighthouse
by Jeedew
from Wikimedia Commons

BESIDE THE WATER’S EDGE

HOW GOOD IT IS

TO STOP BESIDE THE WATER’S EDGE!

I CAN’T FEEL WHAT DAY THIS IS.

I ONLY KNOW THE SUN UPON MY FACE

AND THAT EVERY TIME I RETURN TO THIS PLACE,

RIVER LOW OR HIGH, THAT

I AM ONLY I.

BARBED WIRE HAS BEEN DEVOURED 

BY THIS RIVERTREE--

WILL IT BE SO 

WITH OLD BOUNDARIES AND ME?

WILL IT BE SO WITH OLD ANGER?

ONLY LOVE SHOULD BE GUARANTEED

THE HONOR OF ETERNITY--

NOTHING ELSE COULD MATTER!

© Gerry Sackett, 2017

Entrapment, Oak, Wire, and Mist
Photo by Bob Embleton
from Wikimedia Commons

Rabin....

At the precipice of Peace,

many boulders have fallen....

Yet, the torrent rushes on,

a bow of promise just above.

And below,

a foundation of stone

laid there long ago....

The harvest of seasons storming.

Let us embrace

the cold, and mist, and hardness

of this place

and move on towards the Light!

© Gerry Sackett, 2017

20th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in Tel Aviv, Oct. 31, 2015
Photo by Talmoryair
from Wikimedia Commons

BEFORE MY WINDSHIELD IN A TRAFFIC JAM

I SEE A WORM

DRIFTING ON THE WIND,

SUSPENDED ON A STRING,

ON A FILAMENT 

IN THE FIRMAMENT, 

FRAGILE AS A MOMENT ...

EMBRACING FUTURE NOW!

WILL WE BOTH EXPIRE

ON THIS CONCRETE BYWAY?

© Gerry Sackett, 2016

Christmas Tree Worm from the South China Sea
by Lepidlizard
from Wikimedia Commons

The River Doesn’t Stop on a Humid Afternoon

THE RIVER DOESN’T STOP

ON A HUMID AFTERNOON--BUT I DO

WATER AND AIR ARE MINGLED, AND

ALL THE SOUNDS I HEAR--

HUMAN, ANIMAL, ELEMENTAL--

ARE THICK WITH THE SUBSTANCE OF LIFE

ON THIS WATER PLANET

IT MAKES ME GLAD--

THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN I HAD A MOMENT AGO,

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.

I HOPE THAT I SHALL ALWAYS HAVE

A RIVER TO STOP BESIDE,

TO REMIND, MORE THAN THE SEA, THAT

I AM ON A JOURNEY INTO ME

THAT I DO NOT AND CANNOT BELONG TO ANY CREED,

THAT I’M A WITNESS AND A CONSORT OF TRUTH,

SO HOW CAN I BELIEVE ?

SUNDOWN LOW SPILLS GOLD INTO THE STREAM,

I JUST RELAX AND GET QUIET,

KNOWING WHAT IT MEANS--

WATER IS SPEAKING IN THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT,

AND IF I LISTEN JUST RIGHT

I GET THE PROOF--

I CANNOT HEAR

ANYTHING BUT TRUTH

I CANNOT HEAR ANYTHING

BUT TRUTH

I CANNOT HEAR ANYTHING BUT TRUTH

© Gerry Sackett, 2016

Stopping by the River
Photo by Tony Russell

New Sneakers

AWAY ------

I LOVE LITTLE KIDS IN AIRPORTS,

JUST LOOK!

BLONDE PONYTAIL FLYING,

WITH SHORT LEGS, PUDGY AND STUMBLING,

SHE CAREENS SQUEALING ACROSS THE VASTNESS

OF THE NEARLY EMPTY CONCOURSE.

ARE THOSE SMALL WHITE SNEAKERS

REALLY BUTTERFLY WINGS?

HER PARENTS ARE NOT FAR BEHIND,

LIKE ME, WITH A SENSE OF BOUNDARIES

AND BAGGAGE.

PERHAPS WE SHOULD GET NEW SNEAKERS.

© Gerry Sackett, 2015

Dulles Airport Concourse
Photo by Morio
from Wikimedia Commons

Only Love

HOW GOOD IT IS 

TO STOP BESIDE THE WATER’S EDGE!

I CAN’T FEEL WHAT DAY THIS IS!

I ONLY KNOW THE SUN UPON MY FACE

AND THAT EVERY TIME I RETURN TO THIS PLACE,

RIVER LOW OR HIGH, 

I AM ONLY I!

BARBED WIRE HAS BEEN DEVOURED 

BY THIS RIVER TREE --

WILL IT BE SO WITH OLD BOUNDARIES AND ME?

WILL IT BE SO WITH OLD ANGER?

ONLY LOVE SHOULD BE GUARANTEED

THE HONOR OF ETERNITY ----

NOTHING ELSE COULD MATTER!

© Gerry Sackett, 2015

Beside the Water's Edge
Photo by Tony Russell

Eye of the Beholder

Is there ever going to be

enough time to get it right?

I thought this evening near perfect--

air so clear, the sounds just so, you know.

Why do these bugs get in my eyes?

They’re wrecking my vision!

What can I do?

Put them in the vision too.

© Gerry Sackett, 2014

Male Striped Horse Fly
Photo by Thomas Shahan
from Wikimedia Commons

Wink in Time

Good company.

How I love music

That moves the tears in my heart

To my eyes!

I couldn’t do that if I tried!

And that is why 

I believe in the truth of feeling

Above the power to reason my way.

I wish I could cry every day--

And map the course of my tears

So when I feel lost

I could find my way clear,

To get back to my soul--

To that breakaway moment of unity,

Of certainty, whole.

I feel the edge of myself now

Like a curtain of light--

Satori is not so far away, 

Just a wink of that self-in-time--

I am, and you are, divine!

I want the company of those

Who stir up the river of tears I’ve stored

To flow and flood down all the years 

Unto the bliss

Of always.

© Gerry Sackett, 2013

Curtain of Light ~ Aurora over Haja
Photo by Frank Olsen, from Wikimedia Commons

The Balance Is a Mystery

The moment exists, and slips my grasp

today as it does on many------

as present bliss is lost in time 

that will not be detained, even if I resist the flow

some unseen force is moving through me

and I question if the current knows the stream------- 

or if consciousness can recognize living as it seems

is simple awareness reality and living just a dream?

or is the truth of being alive somewhere in between?

human born, we're born to see ----------

the balance is a mystery, 

a cosmic dance-----

Siva gettin' down, gettin' up, gettin' on, gettin' free!

destined for more than a meal and a mate

we must daily choose our fate and feel the power of the stream------

for we are carried, after all.

yet, its up to us to paddle and not to drift

for ultimate enlightenment

     © Gerry Sackett, 2013

Moormans River, Sugar Hollow
Photo by Tony Russell

Language of Light

The river doesn’t stop

on a humid afternoon — but I do.

Water and air are mingled, and

all the sounds I hear —

human, animal, elemental —

are thick with the substance of life

on this water planet.

It makes me glad —

this is much more than I had a moment ago,

driving down the road.

I hope that I shall always have

a river to stop beside,

to remind, more than the sea, that

I am on a journey into me,

that I do not and cannot belong to any creed,

that I’m a witness and a consort of truth —

so how can I believe?

Sundown low spills gold into the stream.

I just relax and get quiet, 

knowing what it means —

water is speaking in the language of light,

and if I listen just right

I get the proof —

I cannot hear

anything but truth.

I cannot hear anything

but truth.

I cannot hear anything but truth!

© Gerry Sackett, 2012

A river to stop beside; photo by Tony Russell

What Will It Take

WHAT will it take...

For the world to know Itself as One?

Defiance of Unity?

Allegiance to Autonomy?

Separation as an Entity?

Confusion a Reality?

War as Eventuality?

STOP IT! Just Stop.

In terms of Being 

We are One in Spirit and Humanity

Environment lives and breathes

We aspire...

Let us be open to a vision

of differences proclaimed, 

as every flower we know

has got a name,

yet no inherent cause to blame another species grown beside.

Let us awake to a truth inside....

We are ONE

Yet, even in Nature's way 

we see that conflict lives....

The forest overtakes the field 

as saplings sprout amidst 

the grass which came to be 

after a fire which leveled all there was to see....

How do we manage our Destiny?

Seeking the Light that we all require, let's not mob the place.

Every flower needs some space 

to live and grow!

Understanding this is So, and giving each their Due, 

Unity will follow through.

© Gerry Sackett, 2011

Touch-me-not; photo by Tony Russell