Poetry reading October 2 in Speyr, Austria, with mindfulness meditation teacher Otto Reich, who edited and translated this bi-lingual book of my poems, 'The Tavern Of Awakening,' from Saint Julian Press. The selection of poems in the book, and for this reading, was made by Otto for practical use in teaching mindfulness, and planting seeds of meditation. He wisely chose this poem, which I loved sharing because it seemed to speak to the darkness of our times, how we may process this darkness, how we alchymize this darkness by not resisting it. For this darkness is the part of ourselves that we have refused to embrace.
DOWNWARD
Use the night to wash
the sunlight from your wings.
Ascending into glory
has made you stiff.
Let gravity be your prayer.
Plummet with valor.
A mother draws you down
to her umber breasts.
Mingle in the pull of that deeper love.
Cease to struggle
against what makes you heavy
and you will be weightless.
Anoint your forehead
with grass and soil.
Unpolish yourself.
Into your bright wounds rub
the tincture of darkness.
God wants to be all of you.
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