A Prayer of Affirmation

Dear God, through your wisdom and loving guidance

I see myself turning inward and finding peace within myself

as I draw upon all the knowledge and gifts you have given me,

to help me navigate through the challenges I face today.

I see myself calm and focused and moving with grace and poise

and the confidence you have blessed me with.

I see myself pausing along the way in gratitude for all the love

and compassion in my heart that flows through me and touches

all who are with me and around me.

I see myself whole and perfect, full of abundance and prosperity,

just as you have made me for this world.

And I am grateful for Your gentle guiding hand in my life.

Thank you, God.

Amen.

~ cb 2011 ~

A Writer's Prayer

Dear Father, Mother, God, as you unfold this day please help me to remember that another line is written and another page turned with every thought and feeling that crosses my mind or surges through me. Please help me to remember that I have the ability to capture them in the moment and set them free to flow across the page in my own unique way, expressing the many gifts you have given me to share. And that you have given me the courage to do so. For these things I am grateful. And so it is. Amen.

The Dream

“Step carefully,” the boy cried 

to the old man at the edge

“There’s a current slow and deep,

it runs under the shallow ledge!”

Floating by, a leaf  

To be plucked into his dream

By the old man now standing there

and staring by the stream

Gazing down, his reflection

all but reflected back,

All the years of plenty

and all the year of lack

Silently he sat, 

his eyes closed

in the dream

and plucked the leaf

from the water

as he slept now by the stream

The leaf became his clipper

It was now the night to sail

To beyond the shores of plenty

out through the raging gale

Now captain of his ship,

he commanded, "boys, sail ahead!"

A young lad took the tiller

and into the dark they sped

The horizon line their destiny

as they rose upon the swell

Imagination their guiding star,

and deeper to sleep he fell

But the small boy reached in 

and plucked him from the stream 

and walked him to the path,

away now from his dream

Together through the wood
the boy took him to the spring,

They sat there by the water

And reflected on the dream. 

Gazing down, his reflection

all but reflected back,

All the years of plenty

and all the year of lack

The horizon was his destiny

He had ridden upon the swell

Imagination his guiding star,

His dreams he could not quell

So the captain stood

and commanded, 

"boy, it’s time to sail ahead!!!"

And the young lad took the tiller

and into the light they sped

~ cb 07/09/11 ~

Butterfly

The beauty of a butterfly is also in its flight,

but more so in its cocoon 

transforming through the night.

~ cb 2010 ~

Empty Page

Curse this empty page

on to which I stare

deep into the lines

Not written there

The thought

I thought

so many times

This feeling lingers

without rhyme

Scratched

across this line

a phrase

It comes from

nowhere

No passion raised

It's not what I

intended to see

a line not cursed

nor blessing be.

~ cb 7/5/11 ~

Cactus Cafe

I am the carvings on the ceiling of the Cactus Cafe

I am the backdrop for all the music

I drink in all the richness of the performance

I warm the the room with my textures

And feel the texture of your soul

I hold this space for you who listen

For you who play and sing here

For the memories created here

I hold this space for you

Here in this cafe

On the ceiling

I reside

For you.

~ cb 2011 ~

Lessons Learned

He stepped deep into a hole,

Deeper and deeper he fell,

Until he hit the bottom,

and found it was a well.

He stood silent in the water

and reflected upon the pool,

to quench his thirst
he cupped his hands,

and drank in the wisdom 
of the fool.

~ cb 2011 ~

The Dipper In the Lake

The new moon darkness set the stage for a night sky clear with a spray of stars, and the first star of the big dipper peeking up over the horizon. Millions, as we gazed across the sky, my brother and I. Time stood still on the lake shore as we sat and watched the ten foot surf rods propped on stakes shoved into the ground. When we cast them as far as we could out to the flats we would count as the lead struck the water. One, two, three and so on. Twenty feet down we guessed. About right, there where they lay lazy. The big blue cats were sometimes ten, fifteen, twenty pounds. They would hang out
there as if waiting to be fed. The yellow cats too, some bigger like the 80 pounder Thomas landed the night I wasn't there. He wanted so badly for me to hook a big one.


I was content to be there letting the night unfold and dropping into almost a trance watching the poles illuminated by our flashlight glowing against the darkness. The twitching at the end of the rods we ignored waiting for a big one to strike and commit itself to the fight, and drag the rod as if to take it down the ten foot drop into the water. A couple of times they did and we had to cast out and snag the rod to save it and land the fish; an act many did not believe unless they had been night fishing.

The faint light from a nearby town glowed on the horizon, but other than that the only light in the sky came from the canopy of stars rotating like the minute hand on huge clock; only choosing to move when you looked away. Occasionally a shooting star cut a white gash across the sky. Once it seemed like we could have reached up and snagged it in our hands. This would break the comfortable silence between us for a moment, but we soon were back into our trance watching the poles twitch.

Snap! Zeeeee! The rod was bending hard and we lunged not to lose both the rod and the fish. Rearing back with a hard tug Thomas set the hook. The first fight was on; the fish for his life and Thomas in a primordial warrior quest to be the victor. There! In us the instant rush of adrenaline followed by the laughter, fight and immediate declaration of size; as if we could judge it to the ounce while it was still twenty feet down. The funny thing was that we sometimes almost did, and ow we did is still a mystery to me.


The landed fish was freed from the hook and slid down the long stringer to the water where we had to watch that the family of raccoons did not wander over and pull the stringer out for an easy meal. The commotion would alert them that this was their chance, either the stringer or the bait sitting a few feet behind us in a plastic bag. Damn, they were brave and persistent at times. After awhile, another strike and fight. Another on the stringer. Later another, then back to quiet and the twitching rods.

We'd catch the changing stars during the lull. The big dipper now rising higher rotating around the north star, and we wondered about the the universe; the "something greater" out there. How many times have I stared at the big dipper and wondered what it was, or where I would be, or what I would be doing the next time I would be gazing wondering about the next time, or reflect on the many last times.

The rods no longer twitched and the action was slow. The small fire we had built was into embers, but enough to knock off the night dampness and to poke into with a twig or two. All was still. Quiet. The lake now like glass reflected the risen big dipper stretching across the water; its handle almost resting on the shoreline in from of us, begging for us to reach out for it, to touch its grand reflection. A sight neither of us had ever witnessed. It gave pause to the night. There was little need for conversation now. And we sat. Only a few reflections, perhaps of Mother and Dad; humorous to shake the melancholy between us. But mostly we sat in silent and watched the dipper in the lake.


~cb 2011~

Pema Chodron

"We work on ourselves in order to help others, 

but we also help others to work on ourselves." 

- Pema Chodron -

You are unique

Set sail your dream

across the sea

And let it be

your destiny.

~ cb 2010 ~

Before Dawn

This morning before dawn

I watched Jupiter and Uranus dance together

as a single star in the morning sky,

below the moon,

almost touching an under-fin of Pisces,

and riding the wings of Pegasus.


~ cb 2009 ~

Angel In the Wall

A happened glance

A small smudge

I found by chance

upon the wall

On the stone

In a corner

Down low

Behind the door

Where no one

would see

Hiding

Praying

Watching

Over you

Over me

Morning Prayer

We are still and quiet in the cool morning air. 

Breathing out our feelings. 

Making way for the deeper truth 

that Spirit has always held in our heart. 

The truth that arises at this perfect moment; 

that we are never alone 

and that we can breathe out our fears 

and make room to know 

that God cradles us in his greater plan. 

And for this we give thanks. 

Amen

~ cb 6/28/11 ~

Into the Swelter

A look of disdain

as I intrude

beneath the trees 

and into the swelter

of his august world.

~ cb 2010 ~

Chula and the Wind Chimes

Chula and the Wind Chimes

Wind chimes

in the hallway

hanging close to the floor,

A faint sparkle of sound

although

there are no breezes

or

anyone

whispering by

to brush against them,

An angel,

I am convinced,

as our lanky cat

reaches

and swats

one more time,

glancing over

as if told

to remind me

we are never alone.

- cb 2011-

Painting

Practice strokes after 30 years away from oils and canvas.

- cb 1996 -

Finding Voice

Lord help me find my voice,

the commanding shout from deep within me,

the fire of passion, song and the laughter in my belly.

Help me find my smiling squint and

softly spoken word that has touched my tender love.

Help open my heart that she may forever find comfort there

in my embrace.

Help me push away from my desk and enjoy the

gifts work has provided.

Help me find the stroke in my brush that gives life

and texture to my oils on canvas.

And help my fingers let fly the music wound tightly

in the strings of my guitar.

Help me find peace in a morning run

with a true friend, and the joy of

a well hit ball.

Help my written word express a simple thought

that captures forever a brief moment shared.

And please, Lord, help me find my purpose

and give me strength to live it

and share it fully.

~ cb 2006 ~

Butterfly on the beach in Puerto Vallarta

You're my butterfly

You're the tear in my eye

You're the flutter around my mind

that I cannot deny

You're the Wings that carry freedom

The light of my darkest night

The want of my hands to hold you

The pain of not spoiling your flight

- cb -