True Heroes

The bravest people I know
are not necesasrily those that burst into the fiery building
rescuing the ashen fallen
though that is certainly a courage
worthy of generations' retelling.

The bravest people I know
are not always those those who hold the front line
when unceasing cannons relentlessly bombard the bunk
lighting it up with acrid smoke and blaze
as grateful as I am for their selfless Spartan safeguarding of the land.

You may even think the bravest people I know
are those who speak their mind with authority.
Convincing all of their principled path.
Moving people to fall behind their freedom's ways
And that too has its important and honored place,

But to me the bravest people of all
are those, who often unsung, live
unprotected, unguarded and authentic,
Ever simply open.  Asking for and giving the love for which this
world so desperately hungers.

Theirs is the most rare courage of all.
They are the true heroes.

Inspired by EOR

Sound of Silence

It's noisy.

colors, sounds, smells, thoughts.

so many, many thoughts.

It's easy to get jumbled in the noise,

the real music though is quiet.

It's the bass that gives it a foundation, life.

The silence that spawns all.

The emptiness between the clutter

and which even so, holds the clutter too.

We get so drawn to the noise

we forget that which never needs to sound off'

to communicate.

The one and only thing that matters.

Listen for it.

Life's Stream

Life is not here to  teach you a lesson

It is not here to serve you at all,

though indeed it does, it has and always will.

They say "find the silver lining in the clouds"

but that presupposes that silver is a commodity worth having

and that you aren't the sky already.

In the end life moves, it flows, it jumps, it grooves,

it jams, it tangos, it plods, its slithers, it whizzes, it streams.

The question is -- will you be its partner?