Peace
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Declaration of Dependence
The Declaration of Independenceannounced our independencefrom oppression,not our disconnectionfrom the people of the worldor the earth and its beauty. We now needa Declaration of Dependence:we are one;our lives are forever intertwined;your pain is ours;the earth's sorrow is our sorrow. Our home… Continue reading
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Balm
Our Garden of Edenis realand waits for uswithin a circleof burning fields. Reaching Paradisedemands sacrifice–a long walk through searing heat,watching our skin char and peel,smelling our blackening flesh,knowing the burn of loss. And then…the cool shade of ancient elms,the sloshing… Continue reading
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The Small
Why so much comfortin my cat's jawjammed with intention, affection against mine? Why so much comfortin the squawking, congregating of crowsin the crowns of evening trees? Why so much comfortin the noise of my partner prepping pizza in the kitchenwhile… Continue reading
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Amazing Grace 1
Nancy's favorite hymn,"Amazing Grace,"was what she wanted sungat her funeral. Several days after her deaththe family sat downwith a patient funeral directorto settle on the details. "No," my father said,"That's such a cliche;there are better hymns." No doubt there are,and… Continue reading
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Namaste
"Namaste":this simple Sanskrit greetingboth opened and closed our yoga class.I was told it meant,"The divine in mewelcomes the divine in you,"a sentiment I experienced then and honor now. In the years since,I've discerned there are many ways of understanding "Namaste,"just… Continue reading
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Go Gracefully
Go gracefullylike the heron risingfrom the mirrorof its cypress-rimmed pond,with two languid flapsof its wide, white wings–once, twice, away–toes briefly trailing parallel linesin the breathless, calm waterwhere early bronze sunlightripples, spreads and returns to stillness. Text and image © 2011… Continue reading
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The Point
It's the kneading of the dough,not the bread;the taking of the pictures,not the photos in the frames;the working out,not the body buff and toned. It's the life lived in love,not the silver ticket to heaven. Text, image and audio ©… Continue reading
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All God Wants
All God wantsis to sit silently beside you on the porch swing,gazing at the sun setting over the lake,listening to the whippoorwill deep in the beech wood,watching the bats swoop after insects,knowing that this is enough. Text and image ©… Continue reading
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Your Tongue
Your tonguelike the clapper of a wind-battered bell,constantly clangs and clatters.Why the ceaseless alarm? Hush now and allowthe sufficiency of silence. Text and image © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading
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I Sit in Bed Writing This
I sit in bed writing this.Willy curls beside me,his front right leg,thrown over my calfas over a bolster.He watches me–just watches me–for minutes on end watches me–green eyes wide and calmframed by the roundness of his midnight face.Watchescontentcomplete. Oh, to… Continue reading