[Byzantine Bindings]

Saturday 30 November 2013

Advent Eve

Before the coming
they were sent to watch
two of them
bales arranged
brazier lit
one keeps watch

the other sleeps
the moment arrives
the dragon blazes a trail
across the clear evening sky

cockerel crows
together they return with haste
eagerly telling tales to
the listening hearts of

the wise ones
who
knowing what to do
begin their preparation

in secret
caverns of the shaman's mind
brightling questions arise
retreating
soaked in stillness
listening in
silent gratitude
for those who watch

endless rebirth
regeneration
stories told in hand-fulls
of earthy stardust
reconstruct the universe
from the speck of dust
in your
watchful eye




Thursday 28 November 2013

Winter Digging (ii)

14:33
Edward 1 becomes King of Portugal




14:40
Eton College founded




15:06
Elizabeth Barton born (probable)




15:18
Manchester Grammar school completed



15:28
Bubonic plague breaks out in England




15:46
Trinity College Cambridge founded by Henry VIII




16:05
Gunpowder Plot


Tuesday 26 November 2013

Old posts new places... Nov 2012





she stepped out of the cloud which hung low over the mountain
floating earthward she saw the trees give birth to eggs like jewels
ruby
sapphire
emerald

touching the earth her magic drained and she became old and helpless
the gods smiled wistfully
see she steps lightly upon the earth
without us she crumbles to dust
beginning the process anew
tiny birds
wrens perhaps
enter into the bargain
hopping in and out of the fence
avoiding the broken glass
on the western edges

things move and I dont know how she says
the wren answers in dulcet tones
just sit and watch your journey has been long and the time has taken its toll
be still and observe the changes in the sky and earth
watch the rain form pools in the field
see the farmer groan under the weight of approximation
there is little here for you to learn
but much to absorb you
much into which you can sink

her hair now came out in strawy handfuls
scarring her lined face and causing the worms to disturb the tissues beneath
a tiny tear the size of a pearl of life trickled down her cheek and seeped into the open wound
and there she would have lain beside the compost bin
if it wasnt for jack the lad
who came just in the nick of time

ho now! what seems the trouble here mistress cried the plucky young chap
my hair is turned to straw and my beauty fades as the morning mists of autumn
well then mistress climb aboard me jet-ski and well away to sunnier climes
she limped along to climb aboard and shrugged her incontinence off
the pearl become a glint climbed up the cheek fired the eye and off they flew
catching a glimpse of her old self in the wing mirror she smiled
jack the lad had saved the day and they both lived happily ever after.


Monday 25 November 2013

Time of the Ancestors

knowing
death approaches
carrying spring within
learning the ways of silent hope
waiting


Saturday 23 November 2013

On Death and Dying




i
mindfully
bringing about necessary conditions
incense burning
deeply observing process
necessary conditions
cease

ii
see
it always was
is
ever will be

iii
arising
cessation

iv
gentle smoke
sweet scented
where were you?
where are you?

v
freedom

Thursday 21 November 2013

Space-Time Webbing-Mapping


weaving
spinning world-views
creating outwardly
manifesting inward spirals
pathways


consider  a node
I call it 0
which is at the centre of a 3D matrix M
itself 
constructed from string
around five other nodes in space (fig 1.)

Fig 1.











consider it in 3D (fig 2.)
Fig 2.




















if, say, the rate of absorption of the string was constant, how long would it take for the dye to travel to each node?
what if other coloured dyes were added at other nodes?
what if each node was the beginning of another node?
ad infinitum
and what if the dyes were poetry
music
Beckett
people
Klee
thoughts
Heidegger
places?

What if... (fig 3.)

Fig 3.




















We all know what comes next:
a trip to the wood yard to get the makings of a compost bin.

Balancing reflection with activity is always a political issue.

In reality...
in real-ity
It's probably unlikely that the dye would be introduced spontaneously
far more likely a co-dependent, inter-be event
unless
there is a god
gods
chasing one another around Indra's web
on colourful poems of earthly delight
sparking jewels in the night sky
high above the cathedral spire
the other night (Tuesday)
Tew's day
there was magic in the air
that was the stuff of space
etheric
filaments of darkness
filling the space between heaven and earth
bearing witness to father
son
and holy ghost
crackling laughter
in the music of the night.

Sure on this Shining Night
"Sure on this shining night
Of starmade shadows round,
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground.
The late year lies down the north.
All is healed, all is health.
High summer holds the earth.
Hearts all whole.
Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder wand'ring far
alone

Of shadows on the stars."*
(Rufus) James Agee (1909-1955)

*Source

Sure on this shining night. Morten Lauridsen

Tuesday 19 November 2013

silent
clear blue skyline
icy early winter
warming soul at early morning
touching

beyond words
beyond music
beyond silence
drip, drip, drip,
ages past
present themselves
fragments gathering in
stillness
listen!

oh -
so very deep
hear the silent call
resonating
healing
smiling
at your loved wantedness
little one.




Sunday 17 November 2013

Five falling leaves


falling
leaves from the tree
released from the centre
returning to the earthen core
gently

i
there is something very poetic
melancholic
about watching leaves fall
at least I thought that until this year
watching leaves fall
in former years
trees
crying leaves
lamenting summer's
passing..
sweating
off last seasons toxins

ii
this year I noticed
I have never seen an individual leaf fall from a tree
let go
die as it were
to this life
this time
like a candle flame which burns out
and the vanish flame
the dying ember
the ending glow
bright yellow
fleeting brightness
pause in time
smoke arising
curling in my nostrils
reassuring familiar
scent of death
kicking through leaves
in the moist times

iii
this year I realised
yes, I'd seem lots of leaves
but not one leaf
and so I looked deeply
at the many for the one
eyes darting
seeing many
missing the individual
picking one at the expense of the others
focus now
lots of others now fall side by side to the one I focus on...
now I become aware of it as an individual
now I realise I am witnessing its death
now I don't want it to fall
now I realise it may never fall
now I wonder what glue holds it
now I wonder at my friend's presence
now I want it to fall
now my eyes are confused by the pattern of the twigs and branches agains the sky
now I know I am the leaf
the leaf is me
we inter-are

iv
mind becomes calm
breathing in I know I am breathing in
breathing out I know I am breathing out
I rise and leave my seat
I wonder if the leaf
was so attached to me
was sad at my leaving
as I at deserting it at this time

v
no I
no it









Thursday 14 November 2013

a week of prayer

comes to an end...
The Calming of the storm Mark 4:35-41

i
it was my boat they used
I just kept my hand on the tiller
while all the time he slept through it all
at my feet
until they woke him
scrabbling about over priority and boarding passes
all that negativity attracted the storm
there was no need of it
I’d have got them through
You just have to
know the water
and be one with your boat.

ii
Trying to come to it afresh
hear it anew
where am I?
either on the shore - which one?
in a boat - which one his or the others?

iii
It’s all very confused in my mind now
I went along because the others did
we nearly drowned in the storm
it seemed to happen in the distance
I’ve only a second hand story
picked up from the others
who reckon we’d all be dead now
if he hadn’t intervened
had a word
spoke it
sorted it
big magic
whatever it be.

iv
From the other side I saw them coming
squabbling and fighting
to get here first
I saw him stand up
heard him shout a lot
they all settled down then.
You can only have one captain.
They made it
but the rest drowned
missed the boat you see
only one had the right skipper.

v
Will the real Jesus please stand up?

What do I want from the Jesus? - that he keep disturbing the peace.

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Epiphany

learning
to put distance
second thinking
allowing time for reflection
choices.

(Shadow Boxing)

Tuesday 5 November 2013

How It Happens

rising
fantasy calls
a growing attachment
manifestation follows soon
falling

perhaps a sound
or quickening
connection at least
link made
forged and welded
others fly in sensing energy
multi sensory now
gaining ground
dust
water
suddenly clay
imaginations fire
locks it all into place
at a molecular level

carefully observed
quantum collections
word song sound and movement
provide opportunities for wood metal and paint
to thoughtfully engage and direct energy
alchemically
in order for reconnection
for the world-weary soul

self indulgence
is focused on individual
mirrored pearls
whose taste is bitter gall
and whose energy goes into disconnection
encouraging belief in independence

therefore create books of stories
that tell and retell
inviting interdependence
generosity
thankfulness
compassion.