Roots anchored deep
Limbs lifted high
I abide in both worlds:
Earth and sky

Reaching through space
Kissed by the sun
I dance with the wind
And invite everyone:

"Oh children of earth
Find shelter in me
My life is to give
For I am a tree."

Roots anchored deep
Limbs lifted high
I abide in both worlds:
Earth and sky

You say you love me baby
but you sure don't understand--
you say you love me baby,
but you just don't understand--
my love for you is stronger
than the lightning in God's hand.

You'll love me for a lifetime baby
or maybe even two,
yes, you'll love me for a lifetime, baby,
or maybe even two,
when the sun itself has burnt away
I'll still be loving you.

You think that you can quit me,
like a drunk can can quit his *****
you think that you can quit me, mama,
like a drunk can quit his *****,
you'll never do it, baby,
no one loves.you like I do.

I live in a house on a cliff
at the edge of the sea.
Every morning I wake
to the whisper of waves
telling me:

"We're taking it all away,
a little bit more every day.
Watch your step when you get
out of bed-- there may not be floor
left to tread
on your way to the place
where your living room
used to be."

I walked yesterday down a hall
where this morning there's nothing at all
in the place where I lived, wrote and sang
so happily.

I wish I could move away
but I know that it's here I must stay
until all I have is taken away by the sea.
the loss to me is great
more than mere real estate
For it isn't a house I'm losing, no--
it's me.

Even love
      can't give you
yourself.

because I am back again
I can still breathe your love
into mine

Fireflies gather
in the darkening night
to dance by the glow
of their own light

I want to celebrate! No, more--
honor? Yes, but more than that-- re-create!
Yes! the ineffable, even cosmic experience
of that eyes-closed, every cell of you utterly
focused on that first gentle, tender contact  
of your lips with theirs.  It's as soft
as the brush of a butterfly's wing, as wondrous as
a meteor shower on a warm summer night,
as the first step on a newly-discovered planet,
becoming fireworks, hearing God sing your names,
two galaxies merging seamlessly into one,
a brass band playing, a rainbow born between you,
a roller coaster in that weightless moment of free fall,when
you feel newborn and infinite all at once.

I found your hand
sleeping
like five birds
in a tree
(heads tucked under wings).

I did not wish to startle them
so I stood near, singing very softly
an old love song.

Slowly they woke into
their own sunrise.
Together, singing, they
flew down
on iridescent wings,
bringing me
your touch of heaven
(and, in that old love song,
the sweet harmonies
of love's dawn).

Forever grateful
for these teardrops
that softened
my hardened heart
Thank you!

A heart that loves you and is true,
a hand to hold that doesn't cling,
someone to talk to all life through,
a friend to trust with everything.

Fill the voids,
heal the pain,
walk in the Spirit
once again

"Faith is an oasis in the heart
which can never be reached by
the caravans of thinking."

As the days go by without a word from you,
I'm left here wondering what is really true.
My mind counts all the possibilities
So here's a poll--won't you answer please?

There's no need to be cruel or unkind,
Just pick the choice that best bespeaks your mind.
And if somehow I missed your favored choice,
Use Other then to give yourself a voice.

Now if you're very brave, and Other's what you've checked,
You know how to find me: please connect!

I haven't written you because:
   a. You scare me!
   b. I'm waiting for you to get the hint: go away!
   c. My computer crashed so I lost your email. Thank God you wrote!
   d. You're divorced?  I can't even talk with you.
   e. I thought you wanted *** now--I don't want to be friends first!
   f. I got kidnapped by terrorists and have been held incommunicado!
   g. I got in a car wreck and I'm in the ICU.
   h. I met someone 'way cooler than you.  Drop dead!
   i.  Other

We here at Gallup thank you for taking the time to respond to our questionnaire. You may have been selected to participate in additional polls.

God in the wind, the rain and snow,
God on high, and God below,
God with me, where'er I go,
God! God! God!

God in the cold, and God in the fire,
Burning away all base desire,
Setting all my soul afire,
God! God! God!

I sit in a chair
outside our front door
with a view
of the surrounding forest.
Flies buzz nearby,
birds chirp a little farther away; and
geese argue heatedly about something
at the neighbor's pond.
Someone is nailing something,
swinging a hammer hard.
I close my eyes,
taking it all in: 
flies, birds, geese, hammer, sunshine.

The rhythmic pounding goes first,
hammer slipping out
of my mental grasp,
then the geese fade away,
still arguing,
followed by the
flies,
birds,
sliding from my awareness
until
there's just
the silent sun
shining
on an empty chair.

Every morning, when I wake up
and I see you sleeping there,
my heart fills up with grateful
for the tender love we share.

When I think of all we've been through,
how our love beats all the odds,
and I feel how much you love me,
I gotta believe in God, 'cause

Who else could have brought me an angel?
Was there anyone in all the world who knew
how to heal my aching heart of lonely?
Who else could have brought me to you?

In the evening, when we lie down
making love so slow and sweet
just caressing you forever
is the place I want to be

Then you fall asleep beside me
breathing gentle in my ear
before I drift off into sleep
I say a little prayer, 'cause

Who else could have brought me an angel?
was there anyone in all the world who knew
how to heal my aching heart of lonely?
Who else could have brought me to you?

cops beating my door
the last strawberry now tastes
sweetest of all

When writing haiku
do you always count it out
on your fingers too?

For a lifetime this
squirrel hid his nuts so he could
never find them

I often wish I could be
more than I am
for you, my dear.
But obviously,
I am what I am.

I want the best
that money
can't buy,
so I asked God
to write for me
a love letter to you
in His clear, steady hand.

I hope you can read
between the lines,
and understand:
I love you
more than He Himself can say,
even in His most excellent,
loving, holy way.

My eyes,
arms,
fingers,
hands,
lips,
my whole
body
yearns to carry on this
conversation
with you:
your
lips,
soft
shoulders,
pillowing *******,
tongue,
and
fingertips--
these ears
want to hear
our hearts
drum! Our
bodies yearning
for sweet intersection:
mingling,
melting,
knowing
me, knowing
you,
from the soft, sweet inside
out.

Let's dance
slow
meaning it,
feeling deeply
every
breath,
every touch,
every kiss,
every turning
toward
each other.
Home! Oh, so sweet,
home.
Home at last,
in
each others' arms.

I am the rock
I am the water
I am the eagle
I am the sky
I am the sun
rising over the ocean
I am your joy
and the tears
that you cry
I am your joy
and the tears
that you cry

I am the seasons
and the rivers flowing
I am the salmon
I am the bear
I am the questions
I am the knowing
I am the answer
I am the prayer

I believe in Jesus now
I believe in Jesus now
I'll tell you why
I shout out loud
that I believe,
I do believe
in Jesus now

For I have seen His holy face
I have received
his wondrous grace
All my sins He has erased
I believe,
yes I believe
in Jesus now

My Savior looked me in the eye
His love and power told me why
every knee to Him will bow
I believe,
yes I believe
in Jesus now!

I cry
Yes I do
I cry for me
I cry for you
for what we did
and didn't do
I cry.

I cry aloud
when I'm alone
I cry in silence
on the  phone
for all the love
we could have known
I cry

I cry

I cry.

Do you cry too?
I'd like to know
what moves your heart
makes tears flow in
places where it hurts to go
Do you cry too?

I don't know
how to stop kissing you
long enough to untangle
our breaths;

how to move even the
slightest distance from the magnet
of your skin,

how to feel anything but
your heart beating
within mine.

I do know
we are healing the world
with our love
and each kiss.

I heard your heart,
the heart of a young wife,
loving, hoping, trusting,
bearing the shock of scorn
from the one who should have
cherished you, and whom
you wanted to love and respect
as your Lord.

I heard your heart,
abandoned, alone,
unloved by the one who had promised
to care for you always,
the heart of a young mother,
bearing burdens alone
that were made to be shared,
as you reached out to share
joys and fears of raising
precious children,
and finding no resonant heart,
beating with yours
in strength, joy, and pride.

I heard your heart,
when you cried, "Why, Lord?
What have I done?
I will still love and serve him,
for Your sake, but
I was made to be one flesh,
to share everything in Your presence
with the man You gave me.
Did You not give me this man?

Why, Lord, is there only pain,
emptiness and loneliness,
where You meant for there to be
unity of heart and spirit,
friendship, respect, joy,
and love, Your love,
sweet, tender,
unconditional forever?

I have offered him all I have,
all I am. He despises me
and my offering.
May I offer my love
devotion, and longing
to another who will
value and return them?"

And God said, "Yes, my beloved.
He would not receive my
most precious gifts,
offered again and again
through your devoted heart,
and so he has judged himself
unworthy of them.
You have given your all,
selflessly.
I will give you
the desires of your heart,
because I love you,
and your happiness
is My happiness.
I always hear you, my beloved.
I hear your heart."

i keep winter out
of my heart, remembering
your cherry bud kiss.

spring is coming soon--
manzanita buds aglow,
like little pink hearts.

climbing Mt. Fuji,
i saw only my two feet.
coming down-- the world!

the old Buddhist monk:
gentle as a flower, yet
stronger than thunder.

If you'll be the sea cliff, then
I'll be the rollers--
breaking on your heart, oh!
ardent lover.

If you'll be my snow field, then
I'll be your Spring sun--
hot clouds of steam rising
when we are done.

Then I'll be your fog bank, if
you'll be my wetland--
secret caresses from
velvet-soft hands.

If you'll be my seabird, then
I'll be your night breeze--
lift you in ecstasy
over deep seas.

Then I'll be your night sky, all
swimming in moonlight--
lighting your way to my
heart here tonight.

Imperfection is a state of mind.  
Since no one is perfect,
no one should mind.

I need to pretend that I'm dying,
and I don't have much time left to live,
'cause if I don't do what I came here for,
I may miss this one chance that I have.

I've seen my friends go in a heartbeat,
their life's purpose still left undone.
Dear God, I don't want that to happen to me!
Help me to sing my own song.

Sometimes I can act like it's nothing,
pretending I never will die.
I want to believe that I'll live here forever--
Why do I insist on this lie?

I know that I've got to keep writing--
it's the gift that my heart longs to give,
and if I have spent my life writing
I won't care so much how long I'll live.

The way that I want to be feeling
when Death comes to take me away
is satisfied that I've finished my work,
that I've said all that I have to say.

I keep getting sidetracked by something--
when I look at it square in the eye
I see it's fear that I'm not good enough
to make a great poem of life.

You know that I want to write deeply
from the spirit of love here inside.
How can I sing when I bury my own
spirit behind fear and pride?

I know that great love and great writing
can flow from You through my heart--
I open it wide, please help me right now
To focus my life and my art.

You read it in the magazines, when someone makes it big.
They always thank their families for everything they did.
They say they were encouraged to believe in themselves.
But what about the rest of us, with the families from hell?

Yeah, there's a lot of us, who've got the same dreams
as those kids from the families in the magazines.
Ours was a different world, to say the least--
I saw less of my father than I did the police.

Chorus
But if you hear me singing under the street night
I'll be weaving sweet music from the threads of my nights
When I'm weary and lonely, and my troubles run deep,
I take comfort from my music-- it's a comfort I can keep.

No, we never got the message that we were even OK.
It was more like we were garbage that they couldn't throw away.
Music was survival for my soul, oh it made me feel so good!
You could always find me singing, in my corner of the 'hood.

Chorus
Now if you hear us singing under the street light,
we'll be weaving our harmonies from the threads of our nights.
When you're weary and lonely, and your troubles run deep,
come and listen to the music, turn your bitter into sweet.

So our parents didn't know much about lovin' their kids,
but what they couldn't give us, well the music sure did!
It gave us all something that we could hold on to,
I still believe in music, yeah, it still sees me through.

Chorus
If I hear you singing under the street light
I know you won't mind at all, if I sing along tonight.
'Cause we've both been down that lonesome road,
and we know the same songs
I know that I am welcome in the circle of your song.

Yeah, if you hear us singing under the street light,
come, add your harmony, from the colors of your nights.
In the circle of the music, everyone belongs,
There's a place for you right here, come on in and sing along,
There's a place for everybody in the circle of the song!

In the silence of the desert,
with the stars so close and bright,
there's the feeling of a Presence
in the stillness of the night--

Oh, let me, like the desert
hold a silence in my heart!
And in that sacred silence
let me know You as You are.

Oh, these sparkling stars,
filling our moonless night with light!
Let's weave them into a
glittering garland of
pure starlight
and wrap our hearts
together with it
keeping our love
pure and strong,
so it's brilliance
will endure
even after
our lives on earth
are only memories
in the eyes of the angels
that we have become.

Truth lives in the heart,
as a whale
lives in the sea.

I fell into your kiss
your lips opened
more than soft
and all of me
was focused there
I was drawn
into your heart
hot, passionate
hungry, savage desire
needing me
to set fire to you
and go down
in glorious flames together
burning through
everything!
Fire flows
from my heart
and yours
our bodies glowing
clothing burns away
crackling sparks fly
as skin to skin
our flames
come together
and the fire dance
begins:
unspeakable pleasure
caresses electric
fire flowers bloom from
lips tongues fingertips
hotter and hotter
moaning, dripping
trembling, sighing
one
all-consuming
flame!


From far, far away
I hear someone
call my name
again and again.
Unwilling, I
tear my lips from yours
the kiss ends
our eyes open
we fall into
each other's eyes
and the sparks begin
to fly all over.

Again I hear my name
someone is shaking me
I wake up for real this time--****!
I'm back
in the Afghan mountains
it's time to pick up my rifle
and go on patrol.
My buddy looks at me funny,
"How'd you get
lipstick all
over your mouth?"
I touch my fingertips
to my still-tingling lips
a huge grin
steals over my face.
"I fell into a kiss."

Thank you, my friend--
little by little,
waves of time wash the wound:
worn driftwood,
broken shells,
a distant foghorn.  
I follow meandering footprints
disappearing in the sand--  
Suddenly, a glorious sunrise,
bright as her laughter.