~there’s an angry carpenter building~
~a table without any legs~
~a mother teaching her children~
~to fetch, sit up & beg~
~the dogs of night make a prayer~
~for the lady without any hands~
~as she applauds the one-legged preacher~
~who left his parts in old Viet Nam~
~the little drug angel darlings~
~stare into the guns of the raid~
~& the children under the table~
~bless their hearts...  Esplanade~


~you will never know where I’m going~
~until your feet taste paths I have been~
~a tear & a cup overflowing~
~sins of the lost captain’s men~
~I wonder if I might find purchase~
~a brick or a ring in the wall~
~a coffin to hang on forever~
~to hear the great sparrow’s call~
~there’s a chorus of blind singing patriots~
~flying a song without wings~
~they may lose their direction~
~they will never forget how to sing~
~she is an opening flower~
~a path for the living parade~
~lay down in her soft bed of roses~
~to bleed...  ah sweet Esplanade~


~may be the gods do not see them~
~may be the gods’ eyes are blind~
~there is no end to their praying~
~for surely the gods must be kind~
~& they hide away from the madman~
~who tells them they are betrayed~
~he waits for the full moon to take him~
~then he howls, howls...  Esplanade~


~dead poets speak through their silence~
~they whisper “return nevermore”~
~a child looks in the mirror~
~wonders, ‘why the hell was I born~

~some one has slain all its warriors~
~tortured the king of its soul~
~mother and father are preying~
~in the bar room for pots of its gold~
~life is the constant reminder~
~death, the warrior who waits~
~fate owns the face in the mirror~
~the key to the lock on its gate~
~so have you noticed her freedom~
~the laughter behind all her lies~
~where chaos & order go dancing~
~& only chaos survives~
~I walked the shores of her oceans~
~soft & cold & afraid~
~followed the paths of her creatures~
~cross her vast expanse...  Esplanade~


~I have tasted the breath of her seasons~
~her bitter root & sweet wine~
~& though I know she is wounded~
~I seek her like something divine~
~as I approach her wound I am kissing~
~the blood drops her suffering made~
~my feet caressing her footsteps~
~my lips whisper...  “Sweet Esplanade”~


~she lays her pain out before me~
~the soft ragged edge of her truth~
~I lick the scent of her fire~
~with the misguided tongue of my youth~
~the scars are written upon me~
~from sleeping too close to the wound~
~skin so easily broken~
~on this eggshell side of the moon~
~& the tides are breaking forever~
~on a sweet violin never played~
~where only warriors are dancers~
~on the last grass...  Esplanade~


~I’m breaking bread with the serpent~
~making love with the mice~
~there’s a game I play with the devil~
~betting against loaded dice~
~& I die at the end of my prayer~
~my face breaks the earth unafraid~
~your heavy stones on my body~
~I whisper...  “Sweet Esplanade”~


~I have drunk myself into stupid~
~sung her praises through my whiskey breath~
~for the tender peace of her body~
~the long-suffering pain of her death~
~I keep a piece of her soul in my pocket~
~& I sleep with her every night~
~I hear the wind through the willows~
~& kiss her lips when we fight~
~but a beggar has set her on fire~
~for a ransom that will not be paid~
~a thief has stolen her jewels~
~she suffers it well...  Esplanade~


~there is a ghost haunting my castle~
~she cries, I think I know why~
~her heart is ten thousand times broken~
~she tries, they won’t let her die~
~so she crawls in my bed of an evening~
~struggles to keep me awake~
~I find myself reaching for her~
~hungry for the love we could make~
~courage lies under the blanket~
~the windows are dirty inside~
~you cannot see through a mirror~
~just going along for the ride~
~she is all, she is all that exists~
~make myself naked & wade~
~follow her down ‘til eternity passes~
~she is all, she is all...  Esplanade~


~all tangled up in my covers~
~afraid of the dark & the day~
~I wait ‘til she comes to hold me~
~& chase my darkness away~
~then I lay at her breast like an infant~
~suckled & cozily warm~
~she covers my seed with the earth of her body~
~to shelter me from the storm~
~I drink her milk & I bite her~
~feeding upon her the same~
~I call her triangular mother~
~& know her by no other name~
~with her blood & milk on my muzzle~
~I cry in the mess I have made~
~she wraps me in flowers & powders my ass~

~she is all, she is all...  Esplanade~


~I live in a box in the attic~
~measure my space two by two~
~drag myself out for holiday weekends~
~& photograph pictures with you~
~maybe I’ll take you there with me~
~touch with my hands in the dark~
~which one is which~
~I get so damned confused~
~like a child playing with cards~
~the best of the times I am rolling~
~in fields of flowers & shade~
~watching the children as they start their journey~
~into her heart...  Esplanade~

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©graphic artwork & words conceived by & property of
Tom (WordWulf) Sterner©

 
 
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~Meditation 37: This Point Forward~

~as if yesterday was not~
~& no thought of the morrow~
~allow me to feel~
~stand in a sweet & cleansing rain~
~a twinkling wink of time~
~aware of the immediacy~
~of choices made~
~be responsible~
~for words & acts~
~made in the moment~
~accept consequences~
~penalties & rewards~
~survive to step forward~
~into each moment next~
~as if yesterday was not~
~& no thought of the morrow~

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~Meditation 36: Every Child~

~it’s in their eyes each~
~epiphany~
~children~
~whose truth is~
~faith & love~
~hunger for learning~
~anxious to celebrate~
~each moment of life~
~look there~
~what do you see~
~oh yes~
~what do you~
~feel~
~in the vast~
~expansive universe~
~I saw them see me~
~gift me~
~clapping their hands~
~singing my song~

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~Meditation 35: Rainbow Exaltate~

~children may just~
~influence rainbows~
~by their blessed existence~
~enhance its hues~
~a pure mixture~
~kaleidoscope dream~
~visage the all~
~beautiful & equal~
~specific & beyond~
~a synthesis of peace~
~the stuff they are made of~
~creates a gladness~
~the ecstasy to be~
~of them yes~
~just to be~

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~Meditation 34: Trust~

~what we expect from others~
~without question~
~is often that which~
~is most difficult~
~when asked of us~
~confidence in expectations~
~guardianship~
~protection~
fulfillment of obligations~
~based on faith~
~loyalty should not be expected~
~but offered first~
~as established certitude~
~a basis of conviction~
~assurance~
~willing ourselves to open~
~anticipate goodness~
~is the beginning~
~the groundwork~
~for freeing ourselves~
~from doubt & distress~
~lends credence to our mein~
~fears fall away~

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~Meditation 33: Seven Directions~

~east of morning~
~evening west~
~& the cross-tie~
~north & South~
~eyes lifted~
~to the sky~
~a little bit o’ heaven~
~feet forward stepping~
~that earthen path life~
~& the seventh direction~
~spirit breath~
~culmination of all~

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~Meditation 32: Higher Learning~

~deep in their eyes~
~wild & wonderful~
~creatures of earth~
~knowing curiosity~
~feral gleam & watchful mien~
~we might separate ourselves~
~for a moment from a life~
~spent forgetting~
~unlearning~
~what we were~
~from whence we came~
~mindfully & respectfully~
~share that moment with them~
~likely to be reminded~
~received joyfully~
~blessed with~
~an unconditional offering~
~a confirmation of love~

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~Meditation 31: Dos Penumbra~

~standing the shadow~
~of near morning~
~contemplating the day~
~standing the shadow~
~of near evening~
~confusing at first~
~a distracting sameness~
~as in death & birth~
~where the sun & moon divide~
~trade shadows~
~one might learn~
~cloud reflections~
~on the face of a mountain tarn~
~a distracting sameness~
~the dynamic of their existence~
~that they are independent~
~would not exist as they are~
~one without the other~
~spirits in the mirror~
~ghosts in the trees~

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~Meditation 30: Morning~

~these thousands~
~days of my life~
~whenever I chance the dawn~
~its sun bathes my face~
~with a wildness beyond~
~any human conception~
~serenity deeper than~
~what lies behind~
~closed lid eyes~
~attended by bird-speak~
~over nest & kin~
~a casual kiss of breeze~
~utterly aware
~I know~
~it is glorious to be alive!~
 
 
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~Meditation 29: Looking Up~

~through the open window sky~
~clouds drifting shadow light~
~inspiration and hope~
~equal & ever there~
~lightning rain & blazing sun~
~winter white or springtime clear~
~startling~
~exquisite~
~vividly alive~
~necessary~
~ecstatic energy~
~freedom defined~
~O what creation~
~universe~
~horizon to horizon~
~you & me~
~faces rapt~
~uplifted smooth~
~celestial sphere~
~firmament~
~sun moon & stars~
 

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