She reeled him in/
with her smile,/
as though made just for him:/
Beautiful, without guile.
She then (sadly) made him wait
as she nodded sleepily.
He could only anticipate
and try not to do so creepily.
Her smile and her profile
made him seek more.
He’d wait awhile;
what was he looking for?
But then she announced he could not be her mate.
His dreams she trounced: “Like Cinderella, it’s too late!”
Should I tell folks how/
to be better? Much better/
is if I go do.
It’s not always fun, /
But it’s always rewarding./
That’s why it’s called “work”.
OR
That’s why it’s “service”.
Being who you are/
lets other like-minded folk/
find you easier.
Understanding who/
you are means accepting and/
embracing your roots.
We should post photos/
of ourselves in our prime, for/
the Resurrection.
The old man in the/
parking lot asked: “How come you’re/
hanging back?” Yes. Why?
Jupiter and Venus
lay equally,
while the smiling full moon
cast her light
over the wind-rippled lake.
I commented,
as bubbles from marsh gases,
released from sand,
rose between my toes,
how this moment
was like some kind of giant
universal
cosmic
harmonic.
And then,
as if to make it complete,
I swallowed a bug.
OR
And then
I swallowed a bug
to make it.complete.
I’m glad he is so/
careful folding napkins, so/
I can write on them.
What If? Cross Training–
You know the way
we have coaches to help us
when we work out
or diet
or do physical activities?
“Just five more reps!”
“Come on, you got this!”
“Looking good!”
“Only a few miles more!”
“The view is worth it!”
“You feel better about yourself
when you feel better!”
“You don’t need that cookie!”
And when we post
And boast
about our weight loss,
on Facebook,
or we show
a photo
of us,
everybody tells us
how FABULOUS! we are.
“Congratulations!”
“Lookin’ good!”
“Wow! What a stunner!”
Is that all I am to you?
My body?
A piece of firm
(or not)
meat?
What about the rest of me?
The who I am?
What if we supported each other like that
with everything?
Intellectual: “You’re reading Walden??
Whoa! DEEP STUFF!
“Come on, just one more chapter!
You got this!”
“Finish him up,
Then move to Whitman!”
Trailing clouds of glory! That’s YOU”
“You know you want it! Go get it!”
Creative: “That song you wrote?
I listened.
It’s awesome!”
“A poem a day?!
You’re amazing!
I want a sonnet for me!”
“Your words flow!
“Just try one more!
You can do this!”
Interpersonal: “I know you don’t
agree with them.
Kill “em with kindness!”
“Tell me what you’re thinking.
Let’s work together on this.
You’re so good at this!”
“You can change the world!”
“Baby steps!”
Professional: “You finished three spreadsheets?
AND the business plan!?!
How do you do it?!”
“I know you’re Smart enough!”
“You can do it!”
“Just one more hour on this project. YEAH!!”
“You’ll have it locked down!”
Spiritual: “You visited three families this month?
And helped them?!
You’re a role model!”
“Let’s get after that reading and meditation.
You’re doing a half hour?
Push it. Push it. PUSH IT!!
Go for an hour.
You got it! you got it!
One more verse!
One more prayer!
Feel the love! Feel it! feel it!”
Natural: You watched Jupiter and Venus collide? You ROCK!
“I’ve never seen the moon until you showed me
the way it can be.
You’ve opened up the heavens to me.
You’ve uncovered fields of flowers for me.
I never SAW until you showed me your vision!
Keep doing that.”
“Come on! You know you got this.
Push it! Push it harder!
See yourself showing others! ENVISION!
Open up the world!”
And on and on and on we could.
If we would.
If we’re not going to be satisfied with ourselves,
and each other, physically,
why should we settle for being
“just good enough”
in ANY other area?
Push me. Come on!
I can take it.
Just don’t just tell me
I’m overweight.