Altar of the Heart

Upon this desert I walk,

Where each man walks alone,

Amidst the towering waves,

Born of an endless storm,

Within an ocean of sand.

Each day I see your face,

Behind the images before me,

Striving for your temple in heart,

And when sanity is lost in darkness,

I am safe within your hand.

May my offerings honor your soul,

Though my pockets may be bare,

My tears are incense on your fire,

Where pain shines as jewels of hope,

Giving birth to joy to impart.

I cannot reach your physical temple,

Lost in time where I am out of place,

While joy’s tears bring stars upon my face,

For as a son you called me from the start,

From your love I will never depart.

Unceaslingly

So much noise,

Creates a silence,

As words of truth,

Cannot be heard.

So much to see,

Of numerous plenty,

Obscures from sight,

The needed and sought.

Here we are,

Arranged through changes,

As circumstance clouds,

Clarity of mind.

With thoughts on heart,

And feelings in the brain,

All is confusion,

No peace can we find.

Yet near the source,

The flowing spring,

One never thirsts,

Receiving clarity,

Peace,

Wisdom,

Joy,

Love,

Understanding,

Patience,

Kindness,

Strength,

Empathy,

Passion,

Forgiveness,

Endurance,

And Time.

For The Heart of All Things,

Is unceasingly with us,

Unceasingly loves us,

Our Lord and God,

So commune with Him,

Unceasingly.

A Letter by the Sea

What is love?

For the rising of passion,

A temporary wave,

Will sometimes reach shore.

The wave stirs sentiment,

Clouding the waters,

As life fights currents,

Away from the sand.

Hearts keep swimming,

As waves of circumstance,

Disturb image clarity,

From the sunlight of day.

In confusion some bite,

Some keep on swimming,

Others get their fill,

As some become prey.

And what of the seagulls,

Swimming in the breezes,

Do they make sense,

Of confusion below?

They fly fighting wind,

Fighting for food,

Fighting for the prize,

Of life we all know.

And what of myself,

Through my pains and joys,

What through the madness,

Of life do I see?

My perspective is broadened,

For all hearts feel love,

And even in confusion,

You are always there for me.

The Song of Wine

Seek a slender vessel,

Behold one among many,

Filled to the brim,

Each one is a story,

The fruit of life’s labor,

Each one in glory.

As a vessel pours forth,

The wine is not wasted,

For the fruit is in spirit,

The love of God tasted,

We are all of the vine,

Within the song of wine.

Each taste from a source,

Of flowers, fire, and wind,

From the Earth it’s begotten,

Lands both near and far,

Love grown in life’s light,

And rest beneath the stars.

As a vessel pours forth,

The wine is not wasted,

For the fruit is in spirit,

The love of God tasted,

We are all of the vine,

Within the song of wine.

Some sweeter flowered wines,

Of ruby lips and charm,

Shine warmth of grace in soul,

Others standing tall and robust,

In protecting the growing vine,

Shine soul virtuous and just.

As a vessel pours forth,

The wine is not wasted,

For the fruit is in spirit,

The love of God tasted,

We are all of the vine,

Within the song of wine.

Once a vessel is aged and full,

It can never be truly emptied,

Poured forth into life,

Life is perfected prolonged,

Filling Heaven’s bountiful sea,

Each note a part of the song.

As a vessel pours forth,

The wine is not wasted,

For the fruit is in spirit,

The love of God tasted,

We are all of the vine,

Within the song of wine.

On The Waters

The air is full of echoes,

Of yesterday’s song,

As I stand upon this pier,

These are the sounds I hear,

Before first seagull’s cry,

I angle my bow to the sea,

And let my sails to fly.

The bay is gently lapping,

Against wood pylons of time,

Holding my vessel to start,

My soul on journey of heart,

As men do not have wings,

Yet on these waters I soar,

Releasing my prayers to the sky,

Of pains and burden I bore.

My sails catch the breath of sky,

Upon the waters my heart will fly,

So much to see and more to do,

Love is my journey returning to you.

On my watch of silence,

My heart here finds such peace,

Beneath a silent star,

From lands now so far,

As the moon reflects on mirror,

Reflecting the light of my soul,

Sharing silent words on water,

I find myself made whole.

Setting young hand to the ropes,

I show my child to the sea,

My wife and heart beside,

Shared wonders building pride,

Here lies the open door,

And so other eyes see true,

I put wordless words to life,

So in seeking they find you.

My sails catch the breath of sky,

Upon the waters my heart will fly,

So much to see and more to do,

Love is my journey returning to you.

I sail now in my dreams,

As eyes have aged with time,

My heart still sees light true,

As light flows straight from you,

Through the darkest storms,

Horizon you were and are,

No fears could I feel,

You are my Guiding Star.

This final trip it seems,

To other watching eyes,

Such family here with me,

Who know the truth to be,

No journey ever ends,

My sails blow full with love,

You are the wind of life,

The Great and Gentle Dove.

My sails catch the breath of sky,

Upon the waters my heart will fly,

So much to see and more to do,

Love is my journey returning to you.

Homeless Kings

 Dan, a friend and co-worker spoke of the warriers of

the Mongolian empire as "Homeless Kings".  As soon 

as he spoke that term, I saw a wonderfully different application!

Each is an heir,

To a kingdom unseen,

Brother and sisters,

Walking the Earth,

With magic of heart,

Energy flowing,

Authority of life,

The energy of love,

Which came at a price,

For the King sent his Son,

To begin the great flow,

With time being illusion,

And space the question,

What had a beginning,

Has no known end,

For energy is transformed,

Becoming beauty in reality,

Communication the key,

Sharing soul to soul,

Fire to fire,

Heart to heart,

Restoring hope,

When all was lost,

Restoring peace,

When all was pain,

Restoring reason,

Where insanity reigned,

For the King walks with us,

In each heart burning,

For His love yearning,

Giving definition to life,

As life defies defining,

And so we walk the Earth,

The Homeless Kings,

Knowing reality,

For all wishing to know,

Home is forever.

Whispers on the Breeze

My daughter started attending high school at Health Sciences High,

a school with such a wonderful culture of learning as to inspire her

to talk about concepts and ideas in a way we had never heard before. 

This Sunday they hosted a wonderful picnic by Mission Bay,

and all I heard from other families was more of the same.

As this is something applicable in many areas of life,

I had to write.

We had all gathered there,

From all walks of life,

We were under the trees,

Near cool ocean breeze,

For the children we came,

In a union of heart.

Human minds never tire,

For just words can inspire,

Where thought ignites thoughts,

With application instilled,

Purpose becomes fulfilled,

And they know they can fly.

It does not take much,

For the magic to begin,

While they reach out,

We must reach in.

Besides this bay of light,

Whispered hopes take flight,

Upon the breeze of all years,

Stories of opened doors,

Confirmed on young faces,

Filled with bright smiles,

Finding their places.

We had all lost our way,

Within the directive of society,

Faster flying much further,

Without being free,

Restoring purpose to heart,

Allowing young lives to be.

It does not take much,

For the magic to begin,

While they reach out,

We will reach in.

The future is uncertain,

Yet where strong stones are set,

There lies the foundation,

With strong minds inspired,

There lies the fortress,

Defending the beauty of tomorrow.

My family stands with me,

These families under the trees,

With our children before us,

And open skies above us,

In the dance that is life,

They spread wings and fly.

It does not take much,

For the magic to begin,

While they reach out,

We have reached in.

The Doorway

I was told a sad but true comment.  With an old person dies,

few come to the funeral as few friends are usually left.  This 

struck me hard until an image came forth which I must share.

It was a day of reckoning,

When silence carries words,

Beneath the trees I came,

To this place of rest the same,

Beside the sleeping blood,

To convey all I had heard.

Beside this resting heart,

I watched a closing book,

A young life reached an end,

Surrounded by black cloth friends,

While words of comfort caressed,

From pages of the one true book.

The doorway opened,

Beneath the sun,

Homecoming called,

A heart did come,

With chapter closing,

One has begun,

The story is never done.

To my left another story,

In shades of solitude,

She stood there in service,

In lonely aged gray,

All friends gone before them,

Only she was left today,

At her feet was soul’s reflection,

In her soulmate’s closed eyes.

I blinked upon this image,

And another flashed before,

I thought I saw a joyful crowd,

And closed to see it clearly,

Drowning out illusion dreary,

The friends surrounded open arms,

To welcome a young man home.

No one will be alone.

The doorway opened,

Beneath the sun,

Homecoming called,

A heart did come,

With chapter closing,

One has begun,

The story is never done.

God touched his light below,

Bathing widowed heart,

Bestowing grace and peace,

As the young man smiled and wept,

With faces long unseen,

And joy consumed in love,

As in the great reunion,

One turned and came to me.

He ran to me with joy,

Arms of love extended,

Then came to sudden stop,

With astonishment expression,

Before rejoining with the crowd,

As the light grew bright and loud,

And I found lying there,

Was awakened with a touch.

The doorway opens,

No story can end,

With song around us,

We are the words,

Love is the music,

Life’s battle run,

Victory is won.