Simply One

This morning I rose and watched the sunrise,
Sky turning from tender grey to pink to rose,
Blue-gray mist of moving clouds upon the lake:
Metaphor blurring, gathering, sensing heartbeat
Deep within the mist, deeper into silent abyss,
Wave upon wave of magnificence.

In the sky, the  flaming orb matched a flame
Passing through the mountain, through trees,
Through water of the lake to beating heart,
No boundaries….  simply One.

It circled through the globe, the world
A tiny orb hanging in the dark of empty space,
Pulsing, aware, filled with mystery
That echoes through space and history….
So much magnificence, so much energy,
Simply One, Simply One Magnificence.

Parched As Flattened Earth

Beneath the charm and tangled wit
He was coiled as a hidden snake.
Having forsworn regret and guilt,
He took no responsibility for harm,
Failed to see the way he seethed
Slanted rage caused others to bleed,
Fall to their knees, not in prayer,
Blind to upbraided arrogance.

It was his job to heal, refrain from
Wounding with his jaws.  His offense
Cast equally upon those who came
To his defense, gave lame excuses,
Could not admit he lost the center,
Lost followers, lost believers—
All because he never found
Admiring public, confessing society
Searching for a saint, scratching crosses
For inspiration on the floorboards.

He sensed when he went to bed
Dark at night the underlying fear.
Dreams revealed he was locked, alone,
Boxed in tissue, pretense of gentleman
Shallow covering for bruised bones.
Little wonder he awaited death
Riddled with scheming envy;
Spoke of love like English lessons,
Words of reconciling heaven
Parched as flattened Earth
Thirsty for a summer storm.