poetry

[charliegee]

oh happy day ...

the older I get
the less and less
I identify with this
character, Charlie Gee

that I'm supposed to be
oh, I'll keep him around
for identification purposes
that comes in handy

but I fully anticipate
his total disappearance
one day and when it happens
I'll sing, 'oh happy day' ...

might even get
the Edwin Hawkins singers
to back me up
yeah, sounds about right ...

just about right ...

CG 8/22/10

[charliegee]

begin ...

always the sadness
in the winding down
it's not so much that
things now are so great

we mourn for what we
never had, we grieve
for life unlived ~ life
only tolerated ...

going through the motions
waking, washing, working
what does it all mean?
there are times that we know

but this knowing occurs
beyond the clutches of the mind
it just is ~ when we turn to
recapture, when we turn to relive ...

to recreate something that has
passed, something that is gone
the misery starts anew ...
we are anchorless ships

adrift on the seas of insecurity
problem is we are certain
we don't want to be uncertain
so we build our houses of straw

and weep bitterly when they
are torn down, lament a loss
of something we never did
possess in the first place

tear it down before it tears
you up ~ life is suffering
accept that and the chance
for joy becomes evident ...

love waits in the shadows
peace in the midst of battle
walk trembling into the face
of your fear and begin to live ...

simply begin to live ...

CG 8/24/10

[charliegee]

once ...

once it was alright
once the stars
were in alignment
once I lived in the world

and thought I belonged
thought I could prosper
could thrive in that environment
so I fell in step with the rest

never questioning, just moving
on the treadmill of progress
round and round we go
no time to stop and wonder

to pause, to ponder, to question
then it happened, life got real
stopped me in my tracks
showed me things were all wrong

once it was alright ~ thank god
it's not like that anymore ......

CG 8/25/10

[charliegee]

out of mind ...

one minute shy of midnight
music plays, stillness prevails
clarity breeds charity ...
gravity is lifted ...

as I soar ever upward
I witness all of it
watching, watching
and then gone ...

out of sight ...

out of mind ...

CG 8/28/10

[charliegee]

the child ...

when I was little
life was big
and shiny
and new ...

as I got bigger
life got small
until it fit neatly
into my head

where once
I wondered
now ...
now I knew ...

where once
I stood
in holy
ignorance

now ...
now I defined
what it is I saw
how it was I felt

now, as I get older
I begin to shed
hoping to uncover
what was once there

what is still there
under the mask
beneath the words
the silent, smiling child ...

CG 8/28/10

[enigma]

Full Circle

Wind whistling through the trees
Rose quartz
Endless starry skies
The smell of a summer night
wafting through my bedroom window

Oh, to have the simple wonder
the unchained thoughts
the unfettered heart
of a foolish child
in a world still too big
to fit in a shoe box

Just once more, God
I promise I won't be careless with it
this time

[charliegee]

amen and amen ... love it E ...

[charliegee]

new day ...

come to me, stay
in the hushed heart
of morning ...
spread the love ...

like warm butter
preach the silent sermon
twirl flowers, summon
all to the feast ...

tell them, tell them
all are welcome
tell them the lord
awaits their presence

he waits at the door
what is your excuse
for not attending
for not being present

any excuse you dream up
has been heard, nothing
should hold you back
nothing does ...

when will you see
love abounds
resounds, surrounds
you ...

just awaken
to see ...
open your eyes
and the world begins

the world begins anew ...

CG 8/28/10

[charliegee]

five more minutes ...

everyday, every moment
a chance, every moment
an opportunity to awaken
or go on sleeping ...

sleep is preferable ..
avoidance of pain
avoidance of danger
avoidance of life ...

the comfort
of the cocoon
is difficult to
leave behind ...

why hope for wings
when your legs
do just fine ...
why leave the cave

when you've become
so used to it ~ it's a hard
world out there ~ better
to hide out, stay safe

than risk the terror
the horror of the unknown
why attempt to go further
it's okay where you are

you're fine, we're fine
we parrot these words
without giving any thought
any consideration ...

as to whether they're true
or not ... leave us be
cause we're okay
just the way we are

everyday, every moment
a chance, every moment
an opportunity to awaken
or go on sleeping ...

we'll get up ...
five more minutes ...

just five more minutes ...

CG 8/29/10

[charliegee]

going? ...

getting older now
time spent is
longer by far
than time to come

afraid? ~ not really
I've had my share
of joy, my measure
of suffering ...

and I bless it all
all the seasons
the ups, the downs
the highs and lows

and the love ...
I've had way more
than I deserve
and I loved too ...

imperfectly, to be sure
but still ~ I loved
I lived this life
and will go gladly

though eternity's doors
without regrets ...
with gratitude
and wonder ...

with peace
in my heart
and a smile
on my lips ...

CG 8/30/10

[charliegee]

seeds ...

the farmer plants the seed
waters it and waits ...
the fruit will come
in its time ...

no amount of coaxing
of worrying ...
or watching
will hasten its arrival

the sun rises and sets
the rain falls or not
days fade into days
seasons into seasons

then one day ...
as if by surprise
the fruit, ripe and ready
waits to be picked ...

one day ...
as if by design
its sweetness
is savored ...

tasted
and forgotten
until the next
planting .......

CG 8/31/10

[charliegee]

smile ...

this life, this incredible mess
imperfect and perfect ...
just as it is ~ with its troubles
its pains and delights ...

what can you do except
raise an eye to heaven
in wonder, in thanks ...
in absolute bewilderment

I used to know
what was going on
used to be so sure
I knew what I was doing

now I'm not so certain
and now I'm not so sad
now there is acceptance
joy within the pain

laughter through the tears
all is well and all is not
what can I do except
raise an eye to heaven

and smile

simply smile ...

CG 9/1/10

[michaelsees]

You are not,
Yet you still are,
Only there is not a you.

[enigma]

Aug 31, 2010 22:38:51 GMT -5 charliegee said:

smile ...

this life, this incredible mess
imperfect and perfect ...
just as it is ~ with its troubles
its pains and delights ...

what can you do except
raise an eye to heaven
in wonder, in thanks ...
in absolute bewilderment

I used to know
what was going on
used to be so sure
I knew what I was doing

now I'm not so certain
and now I'm not so sad
now there is acceptance
joy within the pain

laughter through the tears
all is well and all is not
what can I do except
raise an eye to heaven

and smile

simply smile ...

CG 9/1/10

That one made me smile, Charlie. And right then Marie came out to my garden office to kiss my smiling face and, Oh, God, what love is flowing now! Tears running down my face. No reason at all, for any of it. No reason.

[charliegee]

oh my god, I was just thinking of saying hello to you and here you are!!! .... just lovely, my friend .... I was just getting over a rough day which prompted this poem .... (simply smile ...) ..........