poems

Homage to Wendell and Others

vabutsy poems 
When despair for the future overwhelms me
And I stare into the present ugliness
In fear of what my grandchildren may never know
And may have to know
I close my eyes and remember 
Remember the prophets and heroes
The flawed women and men
Who rest now in beauty.

I go into the peace of wild people
Of Dolly, Tim, Wendell, and Gloria
Who did not tax their time with despair
Or grief. I remind myself
Of the good trouble they made
And I try to feel above the sordid present
I try to feel my grandchildren’s despair-less
Hope, waiting with their courage
And for a time, I am content.

Screenshot

In Honor Of

vabutsy poems, prayers

“Your hope of Heaven, let it rest on the ground underfoot.”

Go outside
Stand on ground that is not human-made
Stand in your bare feet
Let his Hope rise though your soles into your soul.
Re-dedicate yourself to protecting earth’s future
Our only Hope
Our only necessary gift
To the future
For ourselves
For our children
For Wendell Berry

The Poet’s Task

vabutsy poems 
What did the poet ask of me?
To see the world in a grain of sand…
I have long lost that ability
But I can watch the toddler on the beach
Discover it for herself

To see heaven in a wildflower…
I don’t know if I ever had that ability
But I can watch Woody tend his garden
And pause to admire the volunteer plant

To hold infinity in the palm of your hand…
Once, in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
I gazed upon impossibly tiny babies
And thought of that line in Blake’s Augeries

To hold eternity in an hour…
Now, each hour, any hour
I ask no more of this life
Than this hour, this heartbeat

Celestial System

vabutsy poems

I will never know
Their religions
Their politics
Their faults
Their selfishness
Their failings
Their regrets
Their ugliness

I only know
Their competence
Their faithfulness
Their skill
Their compassion
Their close attention to my body
Their matter-of-fact wiping of my dirty bum
Their constancy

They needed no praise from me
They needed no words at all
Other than answers to necessary questions

In my exhausted silence
They formed a celestial system
Gently, faithfully orbiting around me.

Screenshot

Custody Battle

vabutsy poems, ponderings 
I read the headline: 
The Iran-USA agreement is being threatened 
by hostilities between Israel and Lebanon.

“How absurd,” I thought.
Then, quite suddenly,
It didn’t just make sense
But seemed inevitable.

Iran and America want a divorce.
	They have 3 children: IrAm1, IrAm2, IrAm3
Iran had been married to Lebanon.
	They have 3 children: IrLe1, IrLe2, IrLe3
America had been married to Israel.
	They have 3 children: AmIs1, AmIs2, AmIs3
Lebanon and Israel are married and want a divorce.
	They have 3 children: LeIs1, LeIs2,LeIs3

Now try to sort out custody and visitation arrangements, 
taking into account different vacation times and religious holidays, so that all half-siblings spend significant time together.

Together to the Light

vabutsy poems, ponderings

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Let us follow their lead, through present shadow, into future Light.
Beyond politics, beyond religion, beyond differences, 
Whether in prayer, in vibes, in wishes, in hopes,
We all want better
We all want peace and security
For ourselves, for those we love, for everyone,
So let’s go together into the Light.