The Hippopotamus

Sleek and smooth this Hippopotamus

Silky, sensual and slow

Gleaming wetness and bold

Bodied, surpassing all weight

Without burden or scorn.

Hippopotamus arrived today

Making me laugh and

Smile and sing and no longer

Suffer, for she brings hope and 

Understanding, glory and glam.

What do you have to teach me, Oh Hippo?

"Slow down and don't move too fast

Got to make the morning last

Skipping down the cobblestones

Looking for fun and feeling groovy"*

That's what you have for me?

A paraphrased Simon and Garfunkel verse?

"I mean it," she added.
Sounds lovely, what else?

"Smile more and worry less

Let go of what is so bothersome

Let it pass

Even when struck by a blow

Relax, breathe and then let's go

To the water and dive in

So deep

Water cleanses the soul

And is sure to keep the 

Rough edges smoother

The harsh edges softer

Relax in abundance and 

Wade in with wonder."

Why, thank you Oh, Hippo

You sure know me well

Can I repay the favor of 

Your visit, do tell?

Yes, you can take care of my baby

If I grow old and more weak

You can feed her and dress her

And teach her all the ways of

The Hippopotamus.

I will.

*Paraphrased from Simon and Garfunkel's lyrics: The 59th Street Bridge Song

"Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feeling groovy
Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy

Hello lamppost, what'cha knowing
I've come to watch your flowers growin'
Ain't you got no rhymes for me?
Doo-ait-n-doo-doo, feeling groovy
Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy

I got no deeds to do, no promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morningtime drop all its petals on me
Life, I love you, all is groovy"

The Sparkling Skin of New Life

How many faces have I worn and
Shed year after year?

Now, a naked face stares at me
As if in alien form, kind and 
Soft, supple and sweet,
Free of hard worn frowns and wrinkles.
Smooth as silk and fresh, not raw.
Ungrooved, this new skin 
Symbolizing new life while those other faces are
At home, having done their time, served me well.

Those faces grew out of need, and then wore off,
Shredded by consternation and godless grief,
This new skin has a sheen, hopeful
And bright, innocent and no longer
Searching for something else.

The mouth so unfettered by stress
Relaxes and elongates, while 
Inside the tongue drops down 
From the roof of my mouth and 
Rests comfortably.  My voice no longer
Needing to shout and exclaim even though
All that boisterous activity was certainly
Worthwhile and worthy in its day.

Peeking out from this tender, new skin,
Calm eyes gaze and study the outside
World, no longer as frightening and disturbing,
Less impactful and difficult, more inviting.
Little did I know that I have been protected
Throughout time by a knowledge and 
A wisdom that I did not understand  -  until now.

Dwelling currently in the deep expanse of the
Universe, all the worlds, stars and moons,
The liquids and gases, firing up then releasing, 
Rising up around and through me.
I am part of these tingling juices,
Flowing eternally with all those I have
Known and not known. 

All one.
All here.
All now.

Emerging

The Whispers got louder

The Wind paused

Along with the virus

Came an opening, a 

Portal shared by those

Whose hearts, minds

And bodies yearned 

For Change.

We connected together

A Community

Watching all of the 

Suffering and dying out

Of the poor and oppressed

Police brutality

Patriarchal violence

Too many amazing 

Souls and bodies

Being killed.

We grieved

We were angry

We were powerful

We wanted change.

We sat quietly

Waiting for instruction.

Once received, we

Recognized our roles

We knew our tasks

We wrapped up in

Sweaters and blankets

Preparing for our journey

Even during June's

Summer Solstice

Black Lives Mattering

Dismantling the Patriarchy

Welcoming the Divine Feminine

Fully into our souls.

One by one

We stepped out

Into the hot bright

Summer day 

Whistling and singing

Dancing, swaying and rocking

A Chorus of Delight.

A fog set in during

The ceremony, clouding

Our eyes briefly.

When we awoke

We were slipping

And sliding all the way

Up into the sky, though

Still rooted to the earth

Soaring from our roosts

Thunder and wind

Parted the clouds

As we flowed onwards
Up, higher and higher

Lightning struck and

Behold, we emerged

Connected with the weather

At one with Mother Nature

At one with each other and

At one with The Divine Goddess

We were never alone again.