Friday, April 12, 2013

Compatibility of Opposites

Never have I experienced
     the magical glory of contrasts
          until this particular morning
               deep inside new mountain spring
                     where wildwood forest gardens
                           await the few who venture in...

Everywhere you look you find
     all manner of colors, textures, shapes
          tirelessly unfolding, whirling, imploding
               world within worlds.

I never noticed before
     by what steady grace
          the ageless y chromozone trees
               stand so rooted, so content and giving...
          how those guys appear without the need to prove themselves
                to all the the soft and curvy hangers on -- nor do they
                pose for the oogling male upstarts --
                who are leaning from their newer places.

Tufts of silk grass circle and soften those thick old trunks.
Tri-colored ivy dance lines cup dew and last night's rain --
     mirroring sunrise while they wind and hug those muscular limbs.

Tall and tiny truths line the rocky paths.
Find the starkest or quietest or most intricate of beauty
     around every boulder or corner.    

Just look, breathe, listen anywhere in such an intoxicating place
     where undulating patterns keep repeating yet with endless variations.

Silvery birch and beach branches lift their princess like arms and sway
     against a strong burst of wind.  Instantly, invisible curtains open --
          the sky embraces a full sunrise -- rare in these woods --
                paint-brushings of deep ripe mango spread out against
                      purplish blue wisps and disappear -- the sun rises.

If you were here, like me, you might silent your soul
     in awe of childhood memories...
           little bells are quietly ringing from their mini-orchards.
Like me, you might begin to sing along...
    "White coral belles upon a slender stalk,
          lilies of the valley by the garden walk,"

Turning around to walk back,
     you might feel yourself melting into the flat long clouds overhead --
     this morning, they look like fancy wings like on cars from the fifties.
     against a cumulous parade of fluffy angels and elephants...

The sun adds more dappling to the deep-down fresh exhibits...

Where is the tension between the opposites?
Where is the warring or competition?

I only sense a merging into the whole...
     a submitting from, to, and in all things...
          yet without any loss of who or what each particle wants or
                needs to be.

Surrounding all is a fierce mercy and tender unmovable force...

Come with me and see the secret, wild gardens giving out their gems,
Every wonder-er, sick of "civility",
Come here...



 (I wrote this last spring and rewrote it with deep gratitude and affection just now for my husband of 41 springs -- who also loves forest places.)  


             



              

13 comments:

CN said...

Please feel free to suggest changes since this is pretty much a first rewrite draft.

Akhtar Wasim Dar said...

Lovely, a wonderful gift for your husband, and a priceless gift for the readers, and I feel we have been deprived of this beautiful talent that you have, because you find other issues more pressing and demanding and the poet, the artist in you wait just for special occasions for manifesting!

This is a beautiful piece, very imaginative, very picturesque, highly sensuous and emotionally very touching, the sort of material that I love :) 

robert said...

Greetings,

This is so very lovely. Very beautiful. I love it.

I love the line: "so rooted, so content and giving..."

All good wishes,

robert

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

I cannot adequately express how important and relevant and wonderful it is to me that you know that surrounding all is a fierce mercy and tender unmovable force. Thank you for this and for the merging of opposites and the submitting from, to and in all things. You are a poet and I am a very fortunate and grateful man/husband. Dale

CN said...

How gifted I am to receive from such dear friends encouragement as this. You have so enriched my own understanding of life and the unconditional love of the Divine with your own selves. I also appreciate -- more than I know how to let you know -- your own exquisite expressions of truth, beauty and guidance.

And how blessed beyond expressions to recognize with each new day and week and year what a truly loyal, flexible and accepting husband you continue to be to me, dear Dale.

My overwhelming gratitude as well to you for being the best of fathers with our sons and daughter. (Add to that your faithfulness with our dear sister, Deb, our precious Mom Ruby and your care for so many, many others.)

The dimensions of love are beyond the capacity of my imagination and they keep getting deeper, wider and higher. Sometimes it feels good to say so "outloud".

carissen said...

What a treat to read this Mom, it made me feel like I was there, on a long hike with you! I am happy to the point of silliness to have such a wonderful family and two incredible parents who love each other more every day. so proud of you and all of the "compatible opposites" of creativity, depth, giggling, insight, gravity and levity..that you have within you and that you give to everyone you meet. love you soooo much!

carissen said...

and I agree with Akhtar! we are so often deprived of your beautiful, beautiful poetry, yet, in a sense, what could be more pressing and healing than this?

CN said...

Dear Daughter,

What a joy to come today to see your beautiful comments. You are such a lively healthy addition to our family -- such a peacemaker and life-bringer wherever you are.

And a real asset to the world at large. Many smiles...

You and Akhtar sahib -- along with others -- are both helping me to re-assess how I spend my moments.

CN said...
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CN said...
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Shaidi said...

Greetings dear Connie,

This is absolutely lovely!! Bless you both and thank you for sharing this with us all.

Much love,
Shaidi

CN said...

Dear Shaidi,

You and other friends and loved ones here sure are encouraging my poetic side.

So great to see you came by.

All my best for your own work as well.

Let me know whenever you do a new post. (Or any others you want me to see.)