You and I,
each an artichoke,
a world unto ourselves.

Bitter leaf
tender petal
furry coat
honey heart
planet circling sun
Your face, my smile.

You and I,
each a petal,
holding one heartbeat.

Bitter leaf
tender petal
furry coat
honey heart
planet circling the sun
My smile, Your face.

Epithalamium is a wedding poem, or a blessing, said to have originated as a literary form with the Greek poetess Sappho. My ephithalamium is for many weddings. Summer Solstice is celebrated as the day of Light, where the sun is visible in the sky for the longest amount of time. In the southern hemisphere now it is Winter Solstice and signals a return to longer days and to more light. Here it is the height of the marriage between Sky and Earth, or Pure Energy and Matter, and is the official transition from spring to summer. Celebration of this transformation is an invitation to open to our highest potential, to shine our brightest. As the earth turns, so do we. Each moment holds infinite creative possibilities. Conscious intent is magnified in community, when we come together. There is nothing you have to do to participate - an open heart and an open mind create space for beauty to unfold.

I celebrate now a trilogy of books I have been writing for almost two years in over ten countries that are being published. They hold messages I received from the different vibrations of land and people I encountered. They are stories of my understanding and acceptance of self and my unique place in the symphony of creation. They tell how I learned to hear and to sing the songs of my soul and then how to dance to them fearlessly. I hear often the voice of creation carried on the wind, the water and in the trees. I remember stories from long ago. I believe each one of us has a unique note to sing and when we follow the whispers in our hearts and share ourselves we weave patterns of harmony. These three books are the beginning of a series of nine and are like the roots of a cherry tree, with the promise of sweetness. They tell how to achieve self-mastery and are my roots for living with grace.

The next three books are the cherry blossoms just now opening. I believe books 4 and 5 will be released on winter solstice this year and book 6 will be celebrated next Summer Solstice and that to complete them I will travel to Canada, Italy, Bali and return to Italy. They will explain alchemy - how to create a physical reality or form that reflects the conscious desires of the soul, and include a handbook to guide others.

The last three books will be like the fruit on the tree: the cherries, holding words and images of my delight in the beauty that surrounds me. I intend to share them by Winter Solstice 2012 and I believe they will be written in Italy. To write the remaining six books I will continue to listen to my heart, where I hear the greater voice of creation. I cannot know exactly where it will lead now, for the path unfolds with each breath.

As I travel I offer my stories and my songs to those who wish to listen. These books I cannot write alone. They are co-created with everyone who helps me, with their questions, their encouragement, their own stories and with material support. I believe in my purpose and have faith that I will always be assisted on my journey, because it is what I am meant to do. I believe each one of us who follows the voice in their heart will also receive the support they need to realize their dreams, to live their highest potential. I thank all of you who travel with me by sharing from your heart. These poems are for you.

The Wedding

Someone asked me the other day,
“How was the wedding?”
I wondered, “which one?”
I wore diamonds in Florence
for Botticelli’s Primavera. 

The wedding is a dance
between Spirit and Form.
What matters most
is leading from the heart
and rising when you fall. 

The first union within
leads to the second with all.
From two is born three - a new entity.
The eye anchors the
star spun on the breath.

Artichoke  (carciofo)

You and I
each an artichoke,
a world unto ourselves.

Bitter leaf
Tender petal
Furry coat
Honey heart
Planet circling sun
Your face, my smile.

You and I,
Each a petal
holding one heartbeat.

Bitter leaf
Tender petal
Furry coat
Honey heart
Planet circling sun
My smile, your face.

my water glass
pristine, full
survivor of
a drunken brawl
what keeps it intact?
Only Grace.

It’s not what I do,
think, don’t do
don’t think
it’s simply being
awake to notice.
Witness is Player.

moderation

what is this
foreign sound?

with each petal
i cleanse of
my self
Earth’s face
shines more
clear

each smile
i direct
inside gently
rocks Earth’s
children

water, water
clean and pure
can you be
the only cure?

i try
i toil
i cry
i foil

and the beat
inside
goes on;

its whisper
so wanton
its cry
so longing
its song

so

so

sweet

Sunlight dances through
glass petals.
What makes my world
an exquisite jewel
I cannot cover?
My dream breathes
ruffles the grass
blades bow
to each other.

birds at dawn
shower on black pavement
silver etched cloud
blue windows
brilliant day

There is a coolness
flowing down my arms

and a fire in my belly.
The grey chill of this

winter
evening

is the tingle my toes feel,
alive to the wine in my veins

and the joy of being with You
again.