For life a woman sheltered
a wandering child of twenty
Shared delight in escapades
crying when she chose a cage
But now the brambles ***** your heels
In murky ground you're sinking
I offer you this haven heart
my teacher now needs soothing
Remember how we know it's true that*
Wisdom ebbs and flows
Some trials of age
reduce the sage
to trembling floundering terrors
You taught me how to heal the child
Now's time to heal the mother
*I hold you dear for all you are
Safe upon the shifting shore

You think this song will last forever ?
Drop your bags
and dance with me !
Strip off that coat and
show some delight !
How alive we are
when we dance.

creation of worry
I see you
blazing your path
carrying love
with all that you are
for all that can be
as I control nothing
I see you
rejoicing your path
heart overflowing awareness
how precious life is now
let go of my grasping
I see you
choosing to live as you must
*embraced by embracing unknown

one layer of learned coping
now moved aside
the cost too much
newly opened caverns reveal
rawness writhing ripe toward awareness
bittersweet taste of clarity
nightmare visions invade fragile peace
sanity ******* urge to escape
but still explore the crypt
all but forgotten
*I remain awaiting my own  embrace

nine months in shared water
soft dark warmth with drumbeat
then laboring hard she is now birthed
wee beauty perfect formed
transformed to breathe dry air
separate now her life to share
singing her song of daring woe
telling her tale before it's unknown