Empty Shell

I'm an empty shell
tossed about the shore
from the sea of memory
where I once lived
and dreamed of more
than days to fade away
with no stories left to tell

12140917

Each Day

All that the ocean is... I am
moist with wetness
for you to enter
with changes from warmth to cool
for I am woman
I have been trampled upon
leaving footsteps in my life
to form what I have become
as the sand
has seen the footprints
of many travelers
many particles make up
the being of me
as the ocean is also filled
I am movement
and change
the sun sets upon me each day
all that the earth is, I am too
filled with hills and valleys
you have traveled many times
and deserts hot
with desertion
the rivers of my blood
flow through as the earth's do
greater and smaller channels
air fills me
and I breathe
as all earth's elements do
I have my storms
and my calms
at times the rains of tears flow
and other times
I am as in a fog
the scars I have earned
are the freeways
that blotch my life
having been traveled by others
who have only passed through
and I stretch out
upon my self
and the suns warms me
awake... each day

04291977

Unconfined

On the wide beach when evening comes
touching the sky, the reddened sun
drops out of sight and darkness plumbs
over the waves, day is done

Walking the sand on the beach alone
the breeze to ruffle my head
I feel as if the world is mine to own
and the sea sound cradles me in bed

The night calls of each passing ship
slipping by on the tide
echoes the sound from my lips
and in my dreams I sail the ocean wide

That yellow orb of mister sun
as I sleep the night through
is on the other side visiting everyone
on the earth, until day breaks anew

Then home he comes over sea and sand,
lighting water and each pile of rock
home to a wordless, sleepy, waiting world
lighting ships, beach and dock

I awake to Mr. sun, all the beauty I am seeing
free of shelter, unconfined, content to be
alone upon my beach, not another being
alive to all I feel, and free

04061980

Mollusks

There, there where the tide walked away
on the whitened rocks the mollusks stay
clinging and waiting for the shore
to cover their hiding place once more

Open for a minute to the sky
quickly now before their whiskers dry
the cold tide comes back to cover
until it is time to break another

Under the ledge, against the white rock
safely they hold on where no man will walk
their own world the in and out of the sea
safe are the mollusks in ocean infinity

(can they feel, do they know
or are they just putting on a water show)

10291979

Empty Darkness

Come share my night, share my love
greedily drown and wash ashore
feel each ebb and tide shove
and lie at the edge, the waters pour
let's share our warmth upon the sand
come and lay your nakedness near
entwine yourself in my outstretched hand
and say the worlds I want to hear
but would you go out in a night so black
and leave the comfort of your bed
to save this lost soul, and bring her back
and breathe life into a soul so dead
don't leave me alone tonight to face
the empty darkness in this loveless place

01241980

No preconception

What is my dream?
to capture and contain all the beauty around me
I guess that's quite a start...
and even as I'm beginning to blossom forth again
I feel your pain...
I sense your withdrawal...
but let me tell you friend
what I have learned....
people are lonely only because they build walls
where there should be open sea
dams where there should be free flowing waters
sometimes the depth of these housings
we cannot cross
your tears and fears are also mine
I am your strength even in my quietness
we are expressions of all earth's life
not separate entities only
and it is not right to withdraw within
for we cannot ever get away enough from ourselves
and all those who care about us
we move as the ocean... ebbing and receding
as it is part of all great growth, in great swells
as all earth moves
important to the totalness... of all
and I wouldn't want to
for then who would be there to share the view?
I am still so raw from pain
and your love has been all strength to me
in its restful way...
as all nature is
as peaceful to me as the sea I love
you have asked of me no measure to conform to
I hope you accept me for myself....
and I am awakened happy each morning
just to be able to love you a little...
to share the same earth with you
nothing you could ever do would disappoint me
I have no preconception of what you are
or what you should be, or say, or do

00000000

Edge of the sea

Nothing on the horizon
but the edge of the sea
and that's where you'll
find all that's left of me

10401114

A good day

Today, such a good day for walking lazily on the beach watching the water lap on the shore as the waves came rolling in. Collecting shells and walking barefoot in the sand. Seagulls circling overhead, the sunlight sparkling on the water casting reflections, glimmering and tumbling.

Sailboats riding further out bobbing in the ebb and flow. Their bright sails adding color to the horizon. An occasional kite flying overhead kicking in the wind while children and dogs romp on the beach. Picnic baskets wait for an afternoon meal, and surfers ride the waves.

05012000

tangled up

Love is a deep sea
you can be washed out
into its deepest parts
carried out on its waves
left to flounder...
when you're too
far past being able to
make your way back
to shore and safety...
and then you drown
caught up in the
seaweed of doubt
tangled... unable
to drag yourself away

030919777

enter into it

To look deeply into anything
to realize and know
truly... that thing
you must not just look
at it... you must feel it
to ingrain it into your being
a tree is not just a tree
or the sea... just an ocean
of water... you must become
all that they are...
the leaves blowing in the breeze
the ripened fruit... the bark
the sap.... enter into it
become a part of the ocean
feel the softness of the currents
the aliveness of the movements
of all it is... and all the
organisms that are part of
it all... touch the wetness
feel the peace issuing from it
and to love... you must
become part of that being
also... enter into me and
let me join your allness
pulsate... diffuse... be
with me.... that is love...

022519777

Mermaid at sea

Oh come with me to the sea and we will romp eternally. We will splash and we will play and search for shells along the way and swallow the sun at the end of the day. Along with the fish we will swim and dive. It's not for me to toil and strive to be in the water-world vitally alive.

To tangle seaweed in my hair. To let the sun kiss my complexion fair and to live life without a care. I'll ride upon a porpoises back, my purse a seashell pack with nothing of love and life to lack.

Gently along the currents I'll glide, swishing my tail along to ride upon the sea's enchanting tide. And then I'll sit upon a rock or sneak up under the dock and then swim away but never walk.

I'll sing a song upon the wind that will carry out and then back again, calling to the ferry unmanned to look for me from across sure, to remember the mermaid lore and to yearn forevermore.

I'm a dream but I'm really not. I'm the truth in the ocean often sought and disappear as quickly as a thought. My jewelry a pearl or abalone shell and I must say I wear them well upon my neck and around my tail lifted high as I dive deep down beneath the swells and below the  sound away from life upon the ground.

So throw me a petal upon the sea my love wherever you may be, but let me stay wherever I am unencumbered and free. Don't try to change the who that I am to give up my tale and try to stand and become just another curl upon the land.

It's not for me, it's not who I am when I can dive down and bed upon the sand and be rocked in a clam shell dreamland. The fish are my friends, this is my home. There are others like me, I'm not alone, so sing my ballads and write your poems. Be on your way and let me be the beautiful mermaid upon the sea.

12121999

The last time

The last time I saw the sea
I was young and carefree
unburdened by fading memory

12170614

Sea Dreams

I loved you and gave freely
filling my eyes for you to see
without words I spoke the rest
and welcomed your head upon my breast
together we watched the tide
leaving our footprints at the seaside
you were my heart, struck in your gaze
you taught me love and wicked ways
if by our ocean we had remained
we might have kept our treasure gained
naked I came to you, stripped of my pride
all my barriers laid aside
now I walk along memory's wet seam
to wake up pleasantly from my dream

01011978

My garden memories

Sometimes we just need to put down the routine and take a day to just be. To sit by the ocean and watch the waves, to feed a bird or two and see dozens come and circle overhead begging for attention.

To look at the clouds and see the beauty that they create against the sky. To watch a wee squirrel munch on a salad of weed leaves, cupping them so gently in his hands.

To notice shapes and colors, sound and movement, the fresh smells, the salty breeze and feel a part of it all. To enjoy a meal with a friend and share their company and thoughts.

To take a slow walk and truly see what is around you and to count your blessings of this day, to treasure it without hurry or worry.

It is these times that feed the spirit and rejuvenate us. Time shared is always twice the blessing as it now only is a joy to you but to your companion also. It is a memory your create together.

I have so many memories of good times shared. They far outweigh the bad times, which rarely come to mind. Small pleasures true but how rich a treasure.

When I think of an iced mocha I can think back to times with my girls, friends and wonderful days. The sight of the ocean brings up many memories all the way back to childhood. They mean more than any things I've ever owned and I look forward to creating many more.... memories.

03082000

Easy to forget

It's easy to forget
that life needs balance
to ebb and flow
like the tides
it's a gift
we let slip away

12350314

I gaze in wonder

On the rocks above the rising tide
the ocean stretches far and wide
on this day, the beginning of spring
I gaze in wonder as the wind does sing

12290314

Seaweed

I learned to live - learned of life
granted by the pain
I learned how it felt to love
laying in the rain

My feet found their home
walking upon the shore
the air so salty - the air so clean
I learned to love some more

I've learned too from anguish
when my lovers go
and then my soul - I send out to sea
to the healing place below

Life isn't ceaseless sorrow or love
it's balanced well indeed
with a pinch of this and a pinch of that
and a balm made of seaweed

02031979

Beach Dreamer

Dawn is coming, so's the morning
tomorrow will be another day
growing I will meet the sunrise
hurry coming, don't delay

Let me hear water lapping
and see the golden soaring bird
the salty smell, and crunchy sand
the most glorious sounds you've ever heard

Let me float upon the seas
and soar way up in the skies
let me come home to mornings
the beach dreamer awaiting lies

01121979

Blown out to sea

Up in flames
the mind palace
of hidden treasures
memories lost
in dusty corners
cobwebs of age
all burned away
and the ashes
blown out to sea

10560214

Thorns of dust

A new year comes again
our footsteps do not retrace
an ocean view once shared
a special place
I considered ours, rising into view
enjoyed now alone, no more with you
The rose I sent as a sign of my trust
has withered, its thorns now turned to dust
you need not walk along the water lapping
ripples and soft ocean breeze blowing
or watch the gulls dip and dive... listen
says yesterday, I knew that he was going
it was only my heart that refused the truth of knowing

12311977