Edwin Markham

Outwitted by Edwin Markham
He drew a circle that shut me out -
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout,
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him in!

sábado, 31 de enero de 2015

High rise

July 11, 2011
Elena Huegel

High rise above the city
                pumped like breath and blood
                awakening iron rod and glass
                giant feeding off the earth
                full of two legged fleas
                crawling up flights of stairs
                or waiting impatiently outside
                the elevator doors. Striving to

Rise high above the city.

lunes, 19 de enero de 2015

Hammock of hands

Jan. 16, 2015
We weave a net with all our hands
To catch hope and let fear escape.
A handy net
                To cradle the world.
Bring your hands:
                Your working hands
                With cracked nails.
                Your folded hands
                Praying at the rail.
                Your grubby hands,
                With sand, shovel and pail.
                Your manicured hands
                With sculpted nails.
Together we weave a hammock of hands
To gently rock the world.

Laughter and babbling brook…
Gather in the net!
Hunger, hate and horror…
Shake, shake, shake them out!
Humming birds and wild flowers…
Gather in the net!
Word-blows and worries…
Shake, shake, shake them out!
Childplay and simple joy…
Gather in the net!
Snake fang and heart pain…
Shake, shake, shake them out!
Bear hugs and skipping rope…
Gather in the net!
Gloating, gossip and ignorance…
Shake, shake, shake them out!

Cradle the world in a

Hammock of interwoven hands.

Cloud veil by Elena Huegel

A cloud is the thin veil which hides God so we are not terrified by the vastness of the sky.  A starry night is a window into eternity and a reflection of our insignificance.  Look through the window long enough and get pulled through. Lose yourself.  God hides behind the thin veil on the mountain where we are transfigured with Christ, terrified with the disciples, and lost to ourselves.

Hide in the veil, o God, and hold me tight when you terrify me.  Jan 2, 2015. 

lunes, 12 de enero de 2015

The Wall by Nicolás Guillén

For us to build this wall,
bring me all the hands:
the black their hands black,
the white their hands white.
Aye,
A wall that stretches
from the beach to the mountain,
from the mountain to the beach,
there over the horizon.
- Knock, knock!
- Who’s there?
- A rose and a carnation
- Open the wall!
- Knock, knock!
- Who’s there?
- The colonel’s saber
- Close the wall!
- Knock, knock!
- Who’s there?
- The pigeon and the laurel
- Open the wall!
- Knock, knock!
- Who’s there?
- The scorpion and the centipede
- Close the wall!
To the heart of a friend,
open the wall;
To the poison and the dagger,
close the wall;
To the myrtle and mint,
open the wall;
To the snake’s teeth,
close the wall;
to the nightingale in the flower,
open the wall.
Let us raise a wall
putting together all the hands
the black, their hands black,
the white, their white hands.
A wall that stretches
from the beach to the mountain,
from the mountain to the beach,
there over the horizon.