[Byzantine Bindings]

Sunday 29 December 2013

Ordinary magic

the ordinariness of it all
reveals magic
a tiny planet
in a cosmic web

angelic singing
morning sunshine
leaves dancing
all in hedge
row

momentarily
an uneasy peace
gap in awareness
that moments of
life and death
fleet fragments
of a greatness

hope glistens on wings
of black winter birds
across
the clear blue sky


Friday 27 December 2013

suffering

wind blowing
dog barking
letterbox rattling

sounds arise
sleep is disturbed
ego mind

let go

fear
resentment
I

become the breath
in
out






Thursday 26 December 2013

Tuesday 24 December 2013

awareness

breathing
wave and ocean
are inseparable
manifestation of the deep
stillness

Sunday 22 December 2013

in order that something new be born in me

preparations to be made
sweeping
cleaning scouring
hardly knowing where to begin
so much clings
and cloys
to mind and senses
let it all go
develop a sense of what is necessary
too much cleaning creates a sterile environment
a vacuum inviting germ
quickly learn what to put in place
and how to discern its motivation
see the eye
the quickening
smile
then you know

no stable yard
or barn
was free from guilt
or piss soaked straw
but new birth is in a manger lain
with scent of summer’s bedstraw
I wrap dreams of who I would become
swathe them in warm hopefulness
and sit in silent candlelight

there
it’s done
and all can come
in wonder and adoration
at this humble scene

make of it what they will
in their own hearts

bear gifts

homeward

Saturday 21 December 2013

Solstice Ritual




walk to the allotted place
face the sun at midday
face the shadow at midday
weep for the dying sun
sing to the cold clay
rejoice at the simplicity
be alert 
to other 
yearly visiting stories
wonder at it all
forgive yourself
again 
and again 
and again
step lightly 
homeward

Friday 20 December 2013

Walking on Water

is easy
inland
no lakes to speak of
brook jumping doesn't really cut the mustard
but
away from it all
close knit
the place is here
deeply felt centredness
letting go
following
in
untrodden footsteps

ii
re-membering future
angels, saints and lovers
fragments of
the nine protectors:
courage of evergreen
dream of enlightenment
strength of earth
wisdom of ages
brightness of winter morning sun
joy of angels
hope of new dawn
encouragement of ancestors
flow of energy
nine bindings be about me today
weaving stone cut patterns

iii
winter
takes the weak
merciless winds tear at
aching limbs
constructing winter sets
on earthstage
brokenness presenting
opportunities to reassess
look with fresh eyes

iv
reenchanted
we wearily trudge toward
registration
new impressions
muted
frosty coloured
morning







Wednesday 18 December 2013

Awakening and breaking through



Landscaping the Soul
Something opened up this morning
discovering you are in a coffin can spark you into life
and seek the means to break free.
Sword Knight as my helper…

deep within the beating heart
of the Landscape of the Soul
is a waterfall
or glistening tree
perhaps a flower or stone

it’s beacon
shining
wave or pulse
is evident however
sensed by delicate
healing touch
willingness to accept
that there is nothing I cannot do helps
coupled with the humility to know that anything I do
is all I can do.

that walking the land and being aware
alert to the beat
the rhythm
of the seasons
the phase of the moon
my position relative to the pole star

all these things

keep me on the path
cosmic webbed
connected through generation
re-generation
discovering awe in the everyday
seeing with the first eye of enchantment
childlike newness all around.

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Soul Cauldrons





"you 
just kinda 
lose control
then
get it back again
the lose it again
over and over and over
then take 
back
control."

Monday 16 December 2013

the feel of me in your arms

high wind
last full moon
before
winter solstice

self-inflicted insomnia
ravaged by the thought
of your bright faced attractions
somehow
you claim me
overpower me

pierced
by your beams of pure white
i am transfixed
transformed
melted




Sunday 15 December 2013

Morecambe Bay



pebble nest
high tide awashed
windthrown
together
seeking something
missed it by a couple of days
fair enough

shall I hold your hand
stroke your hair
stitch your stories
haunting memories
behind the mind
let lose
unfurled sails
on a becalmed sea
hoping to catch a glimpse

did I give you a ball to play with
yes mum
that's alright then
back to sleep
in the nest

of lost memeories
among the pebbles
serenaded by the tide
almost out of reach
edging towards clockwise spiral
falling towards the centre
almost letting go






Monday 9 December 2013

Meeting together

they tried to find common ground
in the name of the
and of the
and of the
a[h]
there was none
yet when the singing started
though none knew the words
everyone joined in
joy abounded
goldenness
filled the air with energy
or did I dream it
they were all dead
the rabbi
the priest
the others
dancing
on some other shore



Friday 6 December 2013

Annunciation



she
discovering
hardness of stones
in the belly
in winter waiting
when all within cries
activity
search

slow me down
gently now
ease me into labour
opus dei
soul nurture
in the darkening silence
binding forming
unseen creativity
knitted story
wombwoven glory
in the poverty of her fragile state




Thursday 5 December 2013

In the end

it all got done
six beds
stations in paradiso
six days
making sense
of
 endless repetition
discovering
Sysiphus' crime
endless moving 
stationary soil
turning over
displacing
considering
dumb cries of cut worm
echoing in consciousness knowing no separation
hand 
spade /joints
earth /muscles
fence /eyes
path /ears
sinew of life everlasting
the ground is prepared
the waiting begins


Tuesday 3 December 2013

Grail Knight

this morning comes to call
truest Knight
best guide
companion on the way
balancing head and heart 
singing, poeting and harping

Stone Queen
sits awaiting pathworkings
gentle lady
guides faltering steps
new born soul
change of heart bring
raw newness
needing her stability
to fail in safety
practicing gently
the new order.

Monday 2 December 2013

Annunciation


Let's get things off on the right foot

[when did god become necessary
when did it become necessary to separate things out
duality
two parts
god and it
divine and mundane
the mundane was always there sex death sausage rolls
but in it
god in it
whenever did that happen]

use your large Hadron collider
oh and by the way
what's with the qualification giant
what
a circle seventeen miles in circumference -
we wouldn't guess it was a giant
to the quark, maybe
ant to the solar system
dark matter
ha

ask the fish that swim in the sea what the water is
just swim
just swim
who cares about the engine
who cares about the spark plugs
the Higgs
a mere frisson moment
summer turning to autumn
winter to spring
just
look out of the window
enjoy the view
before the journey ends

your belly
finds favour in the eyes of the lord
in you will be sown the kingdom
your plight has not gone un-noticed
the potential of your virgin soil
hidden among the false modesty
on the allotment
behind the shed
is to be spotlighted by the national press

message ends 08:33.

Sunday 1 December 2013

St Andrew


perhaps there needs to be
an inclination
a disposition towards
a proclivity
a tendency
a disposal

in some sense of the word
towards
apostleship
to hear the call
as he comes along the seashore collecting

rocky
men
upsetting
the beloved

at any rate it seems a good catch