irreplaceable

All your expectations
that I disappoint
I see you tightening your lips
and curtaining your thoughts
but I feel them
like a big wave drenching me
I hold my ground and
love you
irreplaceable you
wishing I could be all
you meant for me to
be

Riding to the creek

And yes, I again move with my legs as horse's legs
my hips horse hips
my mind a horse's mind
moving four legged
in the corn fields of Kentucky
gifted this perfect day
with friends and my children
all astride
bigger than life
we amplify our souls
to the cadence of hoof beats
and wander to the creek
our feet transversing railroad tracks
and tractor paths and
alfalfa fields
moving past antique barns
and silos reaching skyward
lingering in water up to our bellies
we are horses playing on limestone rocks
yesterday's children
still young at heart

Big Creek Picnic Area

When spirit calls
and moves the body
when it is summer
my mind travels first
to the river
and then the keys are found
the picnic packed
and I go
to icy water
that makes me wonder if summer
is even here or will ever come
I linger at the edge and all the children play
Then I enter, childlike, seeing only splashing water
I frolic on the rocks

passionate arrival

And crafting within time
when an infinite spirit moves into form
this universal embrace
starts counting silverware
and being content
with one or two things
yet some of us
want more
not because we care about owning
or doing
just because we are still
star travelers
and so excited to be here

A butterfly garnish

Today a butterfly
landed on my fruit plate
Chef that I am I delighted
in the garnish of dark blue wings
and royal blue and orange playing
with the pineapple and watermelon
already a colorful array
with a playful toss of trail mix
to add even more color
and then you came along
breathing with your wings
breath of God

cathedral steps

and today
serving breakfast by the creek
I deliberately placed the folding table
far enough away from my cooking fire
so that I could walk the cathedral steps
down to the river
carrying the blessing of food
being blessed by the water
rushing by
we salute each other
I with my joyous heart
you with your jubilant voice
up and down I go the many steps
over roots and rocks
a well worn path
like neurons in the brain
remembering ancient ways

journeying together

Two embracing life together
Each others witness to greatness
For the knowing of the heart
In love sees the flame of desire
Flickering into being
Expressing as passion
Adoration
Songs that must be sung
Dreams that must be lived
This wealth of being
Plays as children
And holds hands into the night
Walks under stars
And witnesses first morning light
Two made one
neither lost in the oneness
Always the dialogue
The other
I and thou
Joyously unknown

Happy Anniversary, Warren and Lisa!

By Janice Haynes

darning needles or ballerinas?

And I chose to swim down the French Broad River
yesterday, following the inner tubes and fun-yaks
flowing with my head upstream, feet up
moving with the water
bumping over rocks and pushing off
down tiny waterfalls
the rocks were softly carpeted with
aquatic grasses, a cushion
and the darning needles, the little dragonflies, perched
on the emerging green rocks, fuzzy islands,
hundreds on their little mat just above the waves
with about a fifth of them
balancing their slender tails on the
heads of their neighbors, wings outstretched
a balancing feat
worthy of the New York City ballet