Loss
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Balaam’s Ass
This morning,saddle up your heart's donkeyand let it take youwhere you fear to go. Expect a bumpy ride–you can't even imaginewhat you'll find–wasps, thorns, snakes and black flies,selfishness and murderous thoughts,parts you'd burned and buriedbut which still crawl,scarred and in… Continue reading
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Two Great Instructors
Throughout lifeI have been taughtin tandemby two great instructors–grief and amazement. These may be,in actuality,the only two teachersI'll ever haveor ever need. What have you learnedthat has not comethrough loss? What have you learnedthat has not comethrough wonder? Text and… Continue reading
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The Hungry Ghosts
The hungry ghostsenter our homesafter the light dimsafter our eyes closeafter our souls set. The hungry ghostsfeast on the remainsof our day's banquet: burned toast, misplaced attention, unseen beauty, hoarded mercy. The hungry ghostsare those of uswho starved to deathseated at the feast.They leave… Continue reading
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Not Always So
Yesterday,a scare with the cats: hours of anxious waiting, hours of driving, thirsty for reassurance, hundreds of dollars, hundreds of tears.and suddenly,all is well. Just like that,all is well–we are home– the cats more appreciative… Continue reading
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Everyone Out!
Whose tombs were emptied this Easter morn?The earth opened, upended,overturned like a shoeboxof faded photos and forgotten mementos: Everyone out! No more clinging to outdated transgressionsand threadbare insecurity. What you've never imaginedis all you see. Text and image © 2011… Continue reading
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The Tree of Madness
In a seldom visited corner of the Gardengrows the Tree of Madness,so well hiddenits fruit ripens unforbidden. But one warm afternoonas she pushes curiously through the jungletendrils trailing over her bare shouldersEve comes upon it– twisted branches, spiny fruit, roots coiling… Continue reading
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The Convention of Jesuses
I elbow through the crowd–so many Jesuses gathered from time,each designed to meet the needof a particular people, place, prejudice, pain… Look over there–pawing over the desserts–Republican Jesus,Democrat Jesus,socialist Jesus,and liberation Jesus,all trying to decide–cheesecake or chocolate mousse? And vigorously… Continue reading
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Remembering My Mother
My mother died on December 27, 2003. This is what I wrote for her memorial: Mom died last Saturday. I was with her, saw it, felt it…profound, awesome, frightening, wonderful. I comfort myself by thinking about Mom's dying–and my own,… Continue reading
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In the Beginning…
In the beginningGod exploded,blasting divine matter and energy outwardto form a universe of disjointed fierceness. Since then,God's been gathering back together,all parts slowly (but certainly) returning to Center–the sun, the chair on which you sit,the banana ripening on the counter,and… Continue reading
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Denver Art Museum, Holy Saturday, 2011
I The art of New Spain, 1598-1821.I sit on a creaking camp stoolsurrounded by assorted grim Jesuseswho bleed,who hang their heads with eternal weariness.Sad, solitary suffering,standing forever with hands bound,hanging forever with xylophone ribs. This is Good Friday stuff,not yet… Continue reading