Monthly Archives: July 2022
poem: invitational presence
poem: invitational presence
like the lodestar
in the dark of night
calling us to safe harbor
the host setting
an extra place at the table
for the unexpected guest
the healer connecting
deeply with others
through their own wounds
the creative soul
offering its expression
as a gift to the universe
the True Self animating
our life together
in communities of belonging
the spirit uplifting
the life and dignity
of all oppressed beings
the dear friend who
senses our need
and reaches out in support
being the invitational presence
subtly communicating to all
one’s radical acceptance and inclusion
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
July 22, 2022
self photo “Opening the Heart Chakra’
Author’s note: Each of us can cultivate
an invitational presence which is key
to fostering healthy beings, relationships,
and communities of authentic belonging.
An excellent resource on invitational
presence and belonging is Toko-Pa Turner’s book,
‘Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home.”
This is an area I must continually work on due to
a temperament for solitude.

haiku: on one’s own two feet
lands on low limb near our heads
inviting presence Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
July 21, 2022 photo by author at
Radnor Lake, Nashville, TN

quote: the lesson between love of ego and love of truth
poem: an economy of words
writing over a lifetime
one uses tens of thousand words
baring one’s innermost soul
to the light
words can collect like rain
in the lowlands
and burst forth
in a torrent
and words can be
hard to come by
hidden in the darkness
of stultifying events
one can be filled
to over-brimming
and one can be empty
to the core
now exiled on the high knob
in the dry desert
in hopes dark clouds pour
releasing the light of new life
Herb Stone
July 19, 2022
here&now working poetry
photo by author

poem: a gently healing path back to holistic health (embraced by mother Earth)
back to holistic health
(embraced by mother Earth)
a tapestry of green
with mixed colors dance
before our eyes absorbing us
into the bright sunlight
outside our door
a cool breeze wraps
our neck with the shade
of the large trees
swaying to and fro
engulfing us
for the first time
in too many days
light lunch al fresco
and a short walk to the
koi meditation pool
gently setting us on the
healing path from our
collective dis-ease and
its isolating malaise to
our shared holistic Earth Home
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
July 11, 2022
photos by author
Author’s note: upon my beloved
and I slowly recovering from
being infected with COVID.





serial poem: the caregiver and the beloved “3:00 A.M. humor at the porta-potty”
serial poem: the caregiver and the beloved
“3:00 A.M. humor at the porta-potty”
her hair stabbing wildly
this way and that
brushing it out of her eyes
and softly smoothing it
around her face
very seriously she asks,
in a bright, clear voice,
“do you like my hairdo?”
to which I answer, “well Yes,
I have always liked a French buffont”
silly laughter ensues,
she has always loved my jokes
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
July 20, 2022
photo of my beloved circa 1963

poem: writing in time of pandemic, climate change, social injustice, tyranny, and gratitude for what matters
of pandemic, climate change,
social injustice, tyranny,
and gratitude for what matters
writing from our home
in Nashville, where we
are under an excessive
heat warning all this week,
high humidity and temperatures
my beloved and I
both testing positive for COVID
for the first time and
quarantined at our home,
we are managing
writing this now,
my eyeballs hurt,
my fever is breaking
and I am covered in sweat
and trying to control a bad cough
tragically, we are inundated
daily with bad news of
gun violence, mass shootings,
and extrajudicial shootings
of young black men by police
and all this, not to mention,
the house hearings on the
criminal ex-45th. ‘president’
and his fascist, anti-democracy,
insurrectionist efforts to steal election
dear hearts, grateful for
all of you who have expressed concerns
and who walk this journey with us,
blessed to belong in authentic
community with you all
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
July 7, 2022
photo by author
