i wonder if Seedresists sproutingif, before soggy myometriumsplits, they howl in horrorroar as they relentto the ever-thrummingcycle of life is there a birth bellowa growl of genesiseven from a forgotten seed? i wonder if Seedgrievesif, as they emergesacrificing seclusionthey refuse rootingand, fearing future frailtydesire to dwell in the dark are they resentful of beckoning light?do…
seed
Dear Depression
Dear Depression, I notice that you are hanging around. More than usual. I try to avoid you. Or investigate you, staying in my mind rather than being in my body. But I think...no... I feel that I can't think about you anymore. My brain grows weary of protecting my heart. the walls whither. my secure…
Spiny sow thistle
Spiny sow thistle. Sonchus asper. I'm feeling drawn to this misunderstood plant. Spines curl like claws upward holding raindrops long after the clouds have gone. In this way, the young rosettes twinkled in the evening sunlight. The stunning display caught my attention. Part of me regrets that I didn't capture a photo. But part of…
authenticity
Spirits visit me in my dreams. They bring me messages. They always have. Even at a young age I was fascinated by dreams and recognized their significance. It has taken me 41 years to get to a place where I trust the messages I receive in my dreams. Not all dreams are messages, but when…
254,029 miles away
Today is the full Wolf Moon. The moon is furthest from the earth at this moment, roughly 254,000 miles. A micro-moon. I find myself more interested in how near the moon is to the earth and less infatuated with the lunar light cycle. Not that I believe one is more meaningful than the other, but…
how we become
The soup pot bubbles on the stove. A savory aroma of garlic, rosemary and oregano permeate the kitchen. My hands move instinctively, peeling and chopping root vegetables. A rhythmic swish of the knife through the carrots, syncopated by a sweeping whoosh into the pot. In the background a woman’s melodic chant radiate from a speaker.…
tiny cosmos
"Faith comes to me so often in musical moments and musical images. For me there is a constant crescendo and diminuendo. One moment faith is LOUD and the next is soft. One moment it is a whisper, the next it is a shout. Which is more powerful, the whisper or the shout? It is like…
Regarding Elderberry (A poem)
A short poem for you. I wrote this on December 4, 2021 as I sat in my first herbalism class -- Village Herbalist -- with Sacred Journey Herbal School and Muteable Earth/Cultivate Holistic. I wrote it as a blessing for a remedy we made together which included elderberries. Delighted to edit and share with you…
When you get to the water
I obsess over songs. I will find a song that moves something in me and listen to it over and over and over again. The repetitive listening stops when I get to the other side of whatever I'm experiencing. Spiritual and emotional growth is easier when set to music. Don't you think? The song of…
Dismiss
I'm skating around writer's block at the moment. A bounty of creative energy swirls around in my brain and body, but I haven't formed it into any coherent work...yet. I preface with this so that you have context for the coming paragraphs and their potential meandering. I'll start with a question. How do I dismiss…
Charly Slipp 