Poems from the Land
This week, I thought I’d share some of the poems I’ve penned from here at EM.
It’s good to feel small
once in a while. Not small
as in less than or unimportant,
small as in part of a much
bigger orchestration.
Small as in not being fooled
into thinking we are self-made
or separate from anything else.
Small as in I’m just a visitor,
here for a short time, a humble
caretaker of this moment.
Small as in we are, each one
of us, one tree in the forest.
A rooted steeple of light. A
monument of elements,
manifesting in a certain form.
Crafted by the winds of change.
An individual inseparable
from its brethren.
_______
The logical part of me knows:
heat, like all things, is impermanent.
The freakin hot part of me, though,
is pretty sure it’ll be bloody scorching
out forever. That I’ll succumb to the
fiery daggers of triple-digit degrees.
In the thick of it - whatever it is -
one’s current situation can feel
fixed in place. A non-moving
entity. Especially if the conditions
are not favorable.
My intellect knows, soon it will
cool down and I will once again
feel human, and less like a
melted gooey candle.
Still, the heat plays tricks
on the mind. Part of me
is preparing for the end
of days.
_______
Oh how quickly
I go from being
happy to see the sun
to never wanting to
see it again.
_______
At first, one downside I noted of this land,
is the lack of views. In the real estate
market, a place with “views” typically refers
to having access to sweeping vistas,
panoramic settings, or other forms of
wide angle scenery.
But now I’m starting to understand how
the woods offer up a different kind of view.
A view that steadies and slows the breath.
A view that prompts one to focus on the now.
How is it the world with its many
woes, seems so far from here?
Do not misunderstand.
We did not come here to
run away from the machine,
or recluse ourselves away
like hermits. We came
to the land to reconnect.
To learn what it means to
live a simple life,
hoping others will join us.
It’s near impossible to live
in an urban setting and not
be an over-consumer of things.
To not run on overworking &
overdoing. To not be tired
all the time and be in debt,
trying to pay for all the stuff
one thinks one needs to be
happy.
Out here, we live simple.
We eat simple. Dress simple.
Out here, we commune with
the weather. The position of the
sun overhead.
We chop wood,
carry water.
_______
I want to give myself
more grace.
To feel my way into this
new planet of being.
Simple living does not
mean easy living. Not
even a little.
Following your heart does
not mean without doubts
or sacrifice.
Life must be about
present moment living,
otherwise, it’s likely we’ll
never know what it means
to feel contented.
There is no way to
ease & rest,
ease & rest are the way.
_______
The evergreens
are offering their
morning sermon.
Convert light
into growth,
they say.
Know when the conditions
are ripe for branching out,
and when it’s necessary
to conserve energy.
Take your time.
Learn how to be
still & quiet.
Make the world
a better place.