For Valentine's Day

I found these two old poems I had written (circa 1993) that remind me why I am a very lucky man. I offer them on my blog this Valentine's Day.



A Moment of Grace

If not for you,
The dreams that I had
Might have slipped away.
If not for you,
The hope I had
Might have been beyond my grasp.

The hero makes a thousand journeys
And his treasure
(When he finds it)
Is at home.

It was a moment of grace
When I met you.
It was as though I were at an airport cafe
Waiting for the next flight out
When you invited me to stay for awhile.



Sitting with the Vision

When I was young
I sought the Beatific Vision.
At all costs, I would see it and it would be seen.
And with that vision I would connect with
the harmony of all that is
(I said when I was young).

Then you came.
With great surprise I stepped aside
Onto another path.
Youthful arrogance would say,
"Do not forsake your quest."
(But if the Grail will be found,
It will find and be found
And the traveler will not disdain surprises).

Now I delight in everyday things
And find joy in our life together.
And what greater wonder than sharing life
With our daughter
Who is fascinated by so many things,
even small things like her goldfish
whom she calls "Pish".

The delight it brings to our daughter
Lets me know that for the moment
My most important task
Is to make sure that Pish has clean water in his bowl
and food every day.

And I sit in amazement
As a little goldfish gracefully reflects
The unconscious beatific vision
Made known in an instant
As it swims about within the Holy Grail.



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