Which is the greater mystery? Love or self-awareness? Both are formless, Yet take on many forms. Both intangible, One cannot grasp them. Try to catch a wave in the ocean, Or hold a candle’s flame. Gaze in the mirror long enough, And whom do you see? Love and self can both be prisons, Or setContinue reading “Love and self-awareness”
Author Archives: janetlandis
Your eyes
Do you know dearest one, That your eyes never changed? As your body was transformed, By faulty genes? Poor transcription of the instructions, Caused so much suffering. But your eyes, those beautiful eyes, Brilliant with all the light of your soul, Could not be dimmed. They shine for me still. In memory, in reverence. You,Continue reading “Your eyes”
Drops of dew
We are drops of dew, Born in a moment. In the light still dim before sunrise. We swell and grow, Plump with the moisture of night. Until the sun crowns the horizon, And we shrink, then dissolve, Slip off our blade of grass, Or opening petal, Having served our purpose, To join once more withContinue reading “Drops of dew”
A prayer
I do not know, What formless form, Brought forth the spark, That illuminated the world with love. Perhaps, the same who scattered countless stars, And planets; Set the universe in motion, In endless turnings and transformations. I only ask, humbly, with my hands enfolded Upon my heart, That my words be guided, With effortless grace.Continue reading “A prayer”
10,000 Hours
10,000 hours I have missed you, And 10,000 more, And 10,000 more. I light candles and incense, And gaze upon your image, And remembrances of your life. Buddhas, sitting near you, Gaze serenely, eyes closed, Into a timeless expanse, Of birth and death, Of love and loss. Dragons, your spirit animals and protectors, Guard yourContinue reading “10,000 Hours”
The flow of mind states
Exhausted, Exhilarated. Anxious, At peace. The flow of mind states. Confounding and confusing, Appearances in consciousness. They penetrate, And flood. Are transient, Seem endless. Sometimes feeling, Pinned like a butterfly, Encased in glass, No caterpillian possibility, For rebirth. But, of course that is a lie. Yet another mood state. For even that beautiful captured creature,Continue reading “The flow of mind states”
13 hours
Thirteen hours of patience, And waiting, In a cramped basement apartment, Of a rundown boarding house. A single toilet, no shower or bathtub, across the hall, Where it is inaccessible now, To this person, my client, Who has no one left. Laying on a bed in this tiny, Dark room, With ALS and cancer. AContinue reading “13 hours”
Golden Tree
One golden tree, Glows in an open field, Shedding memories; Of new spring buds, And rising energy, Of languid summer days, Soft rain and storms, Growing and stretching its’ limbs toward the sky. And now the turn, Cold and frost, Slowing the flow of sap, In preparation for winter. A period of stasis, Of restContinue reading “Golden Tree”
Ancestors
Witches and ministers, Artists and healers, Restless travelers. Roots growing deep, Exploring the mysteries of the heart, The geography of love, And, sometimes, madness. They still have stories to tell, Follies, missteps, ignorance And wisdom. When I am still, They whisper, And when I falter, The reverberation of their voices, Shakes the ground beneath me.Continue reading “Ancestors”
Golden afternoon light
Suffused in golden sunshine, In the waning afternoon, Grateful for light and love, I send it to all who face discrimination and hatred. Why must we plumb the depths of humanity, After millions of years have engendered, The jewels of compassion and empathy? Sexuality, disability, gender identity, skin color, nationality; None define our essential nature.Continue reading “Golden afternoon light”
An Unexpected Life 