Poem: Atlantic

Atlantic

She is tender
Sweet
Tingling of toes
Whisper in an ear
With cooled, soothing touch
Blessed of uncontained love

She is peaceful
Calm
Gifts of giving
Quiet in a breath
With soft, knowing charm
Comfort of Earth’s heaven

She is a late afternoon beside the Atlantic

Copyright SGW 2006

Poem: Love of Life

Love of Life

Life is too short
Precious
I want to live
Really live
With heart
Energy
The love of God,
Good friends and family.

Life is so wonderful
Appreciated
I am going to live
Really live
With love
Vitality
The compassion of spirit,
Charitable giving and heart.

Copyright SGW 1999

Indigo Girls - "The Wood Song"

My regulars know I like to post lyrics from time to time of songs that genuinely speak to me. I have been a fan of Indigo Girls since the late 80's. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers are both writers who display amazing depth, dimension and to-the-heart reflection.

During some pretty dark moments in my life a long time ago, the music of Indigo Girls helped pull me through. I had the good fortune of meeting Amy Ray and thanking her for the influence she brings to my poetry and my soul. Both Ray and Saliers appear on my thank you page in my self-published 1996 poetry book, "Just On My Mind."

Anyway, I have been going through an Indigo Girls retrospective for a few days now, and one song that does not get a great deal of consideration, even within their fan base, but is a particular favorite of mine, is "The Wood Song." For me, this song sums up what makes life worth living in many ways. Our days on this planet are not easy, but if they were, would they be as joyously felt in good moments?

Here's some lyrics from a duo who I love dearly for their musical gifts.

The Wood Song

The thin horizon of a plan is almost clear
My friends and I have had a tough time
Bruising our brains hard up against change
All the old dogs and the magician
Now I see were in the boat in two by twos
Only the heart that we have for a tool we could use
And the very close quarters are hard to get used to
Love weighs the hull down with its weight
But the wood is tired and the wood is old
And well make it fine if the weather holds
But if the weather holds well have missed the point
Thats where I need to go

No way construction of this tricky plan
Was built by other than a greater hand
With a love that passes all out understanding
Watching closely over the journey
Yeah but what it takes to cross the great divide
Seems more than all the courage I can muster up inside
Although we get to have some answers when we reach the other side
The prize is always worth the rocky ride
But the wood is tired and the wood is old
And well make it fine if the weather holds
But if the weather holds well have missed the point
Thats where I need to go

Sometimes I ask to sneak a closer look
Skip to the final chapter of the book
And then maybe steer us clear from some of the pain it took
To get us where we are this far yeah
But the question drowns in its futility
And even I have got to laugh at me
No one gets to miss the storm of what will be
Just holding on for the ride
The wood is tired and the wood is old
Well make it fine if the weather holds
But if the weather holds well have missed the point
Thats where I need to go

Words by Emily Sailers of Indigo Girls

Please, AARP, leave me alone for a few more years!

For the past two years, the AARP has sent me temporary membership cards, imploring me to join now. Today, I made it to the next level; a plastic membership card.

I am 42 years old.