The words below explain the risk for me and how it felt last year when my exposure resulted in hurt feelings by T. It was all a misunderstanding on my part and we have since resolved the issues but such a risk is inherent in all relationships we wish to grow into more authentic relationships. I took a risk with a friend recently and this friend hurtfully rejected me for my attempt at authenticity. I'm sure I carried much of the fault of our rupture but not being able to redeem myself is painful. So this poem is dedicated to my T and also to my friend whom I miss.


LIFE

Tender, tiny, hesitant,
This budding shoot of
Feelings - aloof and remote,
Daring to present.

Pushing through the frozen soil,
Its will for life smothering fear,
Stretching, reaching, exhaling.
Resistance, yes; yearning stronger.

Emerging, exploring, sensing
Pulse felt, long anesthetized,
Amnesia reversed; memory revived.
Awake!, Breathe, Create.

Blind stirring, naked intent,
Restrained no longer.
Roots unearthed, laid bare;
Essence, mine, recovered.

Tentative, this bud, its rhythm
Fragile,yet exhilarating
Its song, its energy,
Coursing through icy limbs.

Each atom responds in harmony.
Light and warmth of day beckon.
Invitation to come forth,
To be seen and to dance.

Safety promised, I disrobe
My passion, its seed.
Look, behold, this is me!
Kernel cracking. Blossoms to follow!

Sweet nectar pulsating joy
From subterranean, its origin;
To distant star, its destination.
THIS is life - raw, exposed, innocent.

Music reverberating,
All creation aquiver.
Its beat screams life;
Its meaning whispers love.

Delicate,immature,virginal,
This sprout comes alive.
Trusts protection offered;
Hardened defenses decompose.

Deep rests with deep;
Passage opens; dark meets light.
Movement between one and many,
Molecules, their intention, in concert.

Overture, child-like, to play,
To enjoy, to commune, to bond.
Nature's game beckons all
To come forth and BE.

The newborn, unable to perceive danger,
Its experiences penetrating and fresh,
Its bareness inviting communion,
Its innocence, a cradle of purity.

No warning, storm rampages.
New life trampled, crushed.
Ecstasy battered and entombed.
Music dies!

Ignorant and naive, surprised by assault,
Defenseless, it yields to threat.
Damage thrusts seedling to hibernation,
Burrowing in, “Heal Thyself” its commandment.

Winds of time promise rebirth;
Marrow warms and flows;
Senses stir, spirit animates
Fresh day has dawned.

Pain's lesson received and learned
Cloak of caution and veil of shyness,
New vestments essential for survival.
Worn this season, maybe more.