Poem: I Ain't No Jesus
About the poem:
This is a poem from my book “With Open Arms: Poetry for Big Love and Real Life” on Amazon.com. I hope to perform it tonight at La Vita Bella’s poetry open mic!
Poem: I Stand Before You
I stand before you
I adore you
I thought that would be enough
—
About the poem:
I love this little piece. It embodies so much of the puzzling feeling we have as we try to negotiate the details of day to day life, with those we love. It does require some mad skill to maintain a loving relationship. Those are the most important skills we can research and learn about, and teach those around us.
Tonight, after doing a short workout, I got home around 7 pm. Should I stay home or go check out the poetry night at The Laughing Goat? (A cool hangout in Boulder, Colorado) Stay, go, stay, go…finally, I decided to go! And I’m so glad I did. I got to choose my spot in the line-up and I went as number 2! I introduced myself with Mama Africa, then did this short poem (both are from my poetry book With Open Arms), then ended with two poems I wrote this week: Peace is Okay and After the Bell. It was lovely to be immersed in poetry: mine and so many others’!
This photo is from yesterday’s visit to Boulder Creek, where I paused for a bit before heading into the library. The ducks were so entertaining!
Poem: Dark Alleys Don’t Scare Me
When I’m walking somewhere
Dark and scary
I hold your hand
I think you are an angel
Or maybe Jesus
Or maybe pure energy
Or maybe my dad
I don’t hear a voice usually
Just feel a warm presence
That dissipates all fear
Okay, but when it’s icy
Then I hear,
“Get your hands out of your pockets!”
About the poem:
I had the greatest dad humanly possible. He is right beside me every step of the way. And though he died in 1997, his kindness still strengthens me.
This is a poem in my book With Open Arms available on Kindle and Amazon.
Poem and Sketch: Nowhere to Go …Happy World Poetry Day!
Sketch and poem by joan
A poem from the book:
With Open Arms: Poetry for Big Love and Real Life
Poem: Play It Cool …are you more of a puppy or a cat?
A poem from my book: With Open Arms: Poetry for Big Love and Real Life
When I become your friend, I want to do with gusto! Puppy-style! If you are a cat, I don’t know if we can work it out.
Cats are geniuses at “playing it cool”. Me? Not so much!
Play It Cool
The fact that I met you
Means that I love you
I want to hang out
And talk with you
And walk with you
Do you want me
To act like
That’s not true
That! would be
Very hard
For me to do
I never learned
How
Or why
To play it cool
Poem: Gaksan (…take a hike with me!)
Gaksan
a poem from the book With Open Arms: Poetry for Big Love and Real Life
In town, my life is all manmade
GS-25, kimbap shops, and power lines
Waiting, rushing, looking both ways
Concrete, asphalt and flashing signs
But then there’s you
You are the backdrop of my days
Beckoning me, reminding me of something bigger
From here, at this distance you too
Look a bit grey
Like me and my town
But I know you now
I know that up close
You are a stunner
I walk past the bakeries and the HomePlus
And across the bridge, and the trash-strewn river
It’s here that I doubt myself
And want to turn back
But I know you now
You are worth it
I cross the busy street
And walk the steep road to your base
Now, from here, I see only you
Thank you for being here
My human friends aren’t around today
Chingu eopsseoyo! 🙁
But you are. Chingu isseoyo! 🙂
And, you… are magnificent
Your brownery and greenery
Your paths and your scenery
Like a faithful lover
I fall in sync with you
And am still surprised by you
Though, I know you now
Ah yes, at the breast of this curve
The view opens to the pines and sky above
And here, I catch a glimpse of the sea
And from here, the town looks like what it is
The playthings of humanity
And now I’m at the yaksuteo
I don’t need to carry water, you deliver it to me
Right when I need it, mid-mountain, sparkling
I scoop a red ladleful and drink it, resting my mind
And on up, walking in peace
With every step, you heal me, soothe me,
Take away my rough edges and smooth me
At the top, I stand arms wide open
The better to feel you and thank you,
Gaksan! Chingu isseoyo!
——
Read more about how you can use “Nature as Healer” in my book Tuning In to Inner Peace: The Surprisingly Fun Way to Transform Your Life