quote: seeking the light
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Category Archives: love
poem: a husband/caregiver’s lament
poem: a husband/caregiver’s lament
speaking honestly now,
crying out into the silence,
seeking to project
understanding, hope, and healing
into the challenge of
giving care to a beloved
having no time
for platitudes,
sentimental claptrap,
and well-meaning advice,
these self serving idols
of comfort, security, positive-thinkers
do not tell me
about long goodbyes
and cruel diseases;
the stigmas of Alzheimer’s, and
its resulting isolation and lack of support,
are contemptible in our competitive society
and so we two, together here and now,
presently in our deathless love,
falling upward into this simple, sweet life,
sharing warm hugs, a deep mutual attentive
presence, and loving-kindness for all beings
in deep gratitude
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
September 12, 2022
photo by author ‘Resting’ and “Here and Now”
Author note: I have labored to write this
piece for weeks in an effort to bring a balance
in the tension between living in a society
that does not value the aging resulting
in trite sentimentality, the isolation of individuals and caregivers,
and the lack of compassionate support and care, vis-a-vis
the reality of caregiver spouses and their
beloved with Alzheimer’s living and loving
with presence and attention together
here and now. Their is a great need for
everyone to better understand those living
with this disease and for more compassionate and accessible
support and care. Let us love one another!
poem: a harsh season
poem: a harsh season
this late summer’s day
sitting among the blooms
of garlic and petunias
sitting among the blooms
of garlic and petunias
admiring their beauty
during a brief respite from
the season’s searing heat
she nearby with a wry smile,
resting on her cane, eyes closed,
lost in a reverie
the past 12 months
of our life’s second half
its own harsh season
mindful that earthly forms
wither and fade
yet souls hold their beauty
grateful for the radical
acceptance and love
of mutual belonging
aware that our most
high Spirit resurrects
in Cosmic harmony of All
yes, in the late summer
of our harsh year, seeing
the Beauty now and to come
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
August 6, 2022
photos by author
Author’s note: The past twelve
months have seen a string of acute
illnesses, chronic health concerns,
and injuries for my beloved. We
weather the harsh season together,
and discover the Beauty that survives
and endures now and to come.
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.
poem: a gently healing path back to holistic health (embraced by mother Earth)
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
serial poem: the caregiver and the beloved ‘keeping safe’
serial poem: the caregiver and the beloved
‘keeping safe’
there are dangerous places
in a home where the risk are high:
the bathtub, poorly lit spaces,
slippery floors, and the
dreaded stairs
listening for her to roll over
or feet hitting the floor,
ever alert, I write downstairs
in the early morning
before she rises
suddenly appearing before me,
without a sound, as if teleported
down the stairs, her visage startles me:
no cane, no glasses, no shoes,
jumping up to make sure she is whole
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
June 25, 2022
Photo by author
‘Checking on My Beloved’
for our beloved Cat, daughter, sister,
wife, mom, grandmom, sister-in-law,
aunt, dear friend to so many
poem: somewhere between solitude and loneliness
poem: somewhere between solitude and loneliness
being here now in solitary existence
somewhere between solitude and loneliness
reflecting on recent events and experiences:
aging, disease, injury, separation, siloing,
the world and its totalizing systems
struggling, striving, sitting with challenges,
reconciling the grace of our being,
the preciousness of our life together,
and the amazing beauty of our Earth Home
with tender heart and teary eyes
busy, tired, and weary at times,
continuing at my task knowing
that we can bear it together
through connecting, belonging, and sharing,
grateful for authentic relationships and community
sitting quietly, listening,studying, reflecting, creating,
and connecting continue in this busy season of the suffering
arriving as an unexpected guest at my door,
each invited in and treated with truth and respect
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
June 21, 2022
here&now working poetry
June 21, 2022
art by Andrew Wyeth, ‘Christina Olsen, Triton’
Author’s note: I have struggled to write this, or anything else down, for over a
week. Knowing that sharing one’s suffering is very unfashionable in our
contemporary culture and society of everyone for themselves, I hesitate. I do not
share my poem from the perspective of being a victim, or a denier, or a masochist,
or from a place of apathy. Rather, I share from the perspective of witnessing,
or from a place of apathy. Rather, I share from the perspective of witnessing,
better understanding, gifting, connecting, authentic belonging, and healing in the
tension of our suffering and our joie de vivre! The last three lines of stanza four
are after Rumi’s poem ‘The Guest House.”
haiku: and heaven is in your mind
haiku: and heaven is in your mind
asleep on the porch
bumble bees in nandinas
cool breeze rustling leaves
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
June 6, 2022
photos by author
haiku: broken ankles and dreams
haiku: broken ankles and dreams
toe nails painted pink
a pedicure on her feet
she dreams of dancing
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
May 14, 2022
photos by author
Author’s note: The physical therapist
working with Cathey is the best. Very
professional, highly skilled, and a
great motivator, with excellent rapport
with the patient. We are so grateful for
his presence. Oh, and yes, I did the
pedicure and nail polish.
