Category Archives: love

poem: a season of loss

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poem: a season of loss
feeling the deep sting of loss
in this dark, wet, cold,
season of mid-winter


and yet, what personal hubris of one’s self


would tell someone to worry about the comfort


and safety of their own ego




only in the dark night of the soul


are we liberated from old attachments


and compulsions so that we love more freely




only with suffering can we


awaken to the deepest


compassion and wisdom of life eternal




and only in healing can one


know the complimentary, both/and,


unitive, full process of suffering




yes, here and now in the second half of life,


it is time to put away our childish ways,


and spiritually discern our falling upward




Herb Stone


here&now working poetry


January 27, 2023




photo by author “Home”




author’s note: the second line of the last verse is from 1 Corinthians 13:11. 
Richard Rohr has an excellent book titled, “Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the 
Two Halves of Life.”





























































					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
an Advent poem: making ready (what comes before)

			
						

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an Advent poem:


making ready

(what comes before)


sitting in the pre-dawn

darkness of this spiritually

transformative season








silent, reflective, open,

to the Divine Truth within

and the new beginnings before us










witnessing the Universal Cosmic Christ

who came down to us, comes again,

and is always with us in eternal life










mindful of the season’s

sentimentality, nostalgia, and hubris

which comforts and distracts us










here and now in the bliss

of participating and being

in the way of Creator God of All










mutually committed in body/mind/spirit

to preparing the way and living together

in diversity, healing, and peace










we humans transformed and co-creating

the alternative neighborly community

of True Self and Authentic Belonging










a lone voice in the wilderness

crying out, make ready the way

for the in-flowing of the Great I Am










Herb Stone

here&now working poetry

December 6, 2022










author’s note: The last stanza is a paraphrase of the prophet Isaiah from the old testament found in Isaiah 40:3. The Great I Am reverences the I Am statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John, and Yahweh, God’s name in the Old Testament. It also connotes the Sanskrit mantra Tat Tvam Asi from the Chandogya Upanishad which refers to the unity of the individual Soul with the Divine Universal Consciousness. My experience is that all Divine Truth is universal, perennial, and cosmic flowing from the one supreme source which underlies all religion, spirituality, and mysticism, and which can be directly experienced by human beings who follow the way of True Self. An excellent book on this idea is “The Perennial Philosophy” by Aldous Huxley.








art image ‘O Root’ by Sister Ansgar Holmberg





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
haiku: autumn’s winds and lover’s whispers

			
						

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haiku: autumn’s winds


and lover’s whispers








wind in the red oak leaves

on the bridge crossing the creek

whispers sweet nothingsHerb Stone

here&now working poetry

November 10, 2022


video by author

“Love Is In The Air”


turn on sound











					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
haiku: flickering memories

			
						

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haiku: flickering memories


Totties’ white crochet

in Fall’s dancing light adorns

the royal blue chair


Herb Stone

here&now working poetry

October 31, 2022


photo by author


author’s note: remembering my maternal grandmother, Aline Feustel Martin (1889-1979), who we grandchildren called Tottie all her life.



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
poem: her morning reverie

			
						

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poem: her morning reverie


framed by the golden light

of the Fall day


in the rocking chair by the window

in the sun’s warmth


body still, mind quiet

eyes soft, breath even


soul ascending

on wings of spirit


ageless dreams

of Home


Herb Stone

here&now working poetry

October 23, 2022


photo by author



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
poem: a caregiver’s satori

			
						

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poem: a caregiver’s satori


with the beauty of

a new autumn day

this tapestry

of colors


blue, pink, white

sky above

orange, red, yellow

leaves below










a caregiver’s day

begins early

it holding

much to do


caring for

my beloved

ordinary chores

and errands


here and now

this satori moment

and then the laundry,

meals, and dishes










Herb Stone

here&now working poetry

October 13, 2022


photos by author








  



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

				
					
	

		

						
poem: the autumn of life/ winter’s coming

			
						

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poem: the autumn of life/

winter’s coming


suddenly

a gust of Fall breeze

flattens the tall grass

with a swoosh


peacefully

butterflies dart

and flutter

in the frostweed


blissfully

the golden sun rays

play upon our skin

warming our core


gratefully

our breath catches

walking the path

heading home


mindfully

aware winter’s coming

and light’s fading; hope is

a glowing ember in our hearts


Herb Stone

here&now working poetry

October 2, 2022


  photos by author



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

				
					
	

		

						
poem: a husband/caregiver’s lament

			
						

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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!