quote from my poem “Your Love Across the Universe”
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Category Archives: poetry
poem: her morning reverie
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
poem: an elder’s perspective on time and space
poem: an elder’s perspective
on time and space
on time and space
thinking of the past is useless
unless it informs the present
always going for the gust
is a fool’s dream
worrying for tomorrow
a thief in the night
thus taking more time
mindfully present here and now
with loved ones, dear friends,
soul mates, and witnesses
wherever you go, there you are
you will find me there
covering less ground somewhere
between disengaged and belonging
close to home
Homeward bound
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
October 27, 2022
October 27, 2022
author’s note: My reflection on aging
was sparked after reading Thomas Merton’s
quote, “Take more time, cover less ground.”
John Kabat- Zinn is reflected in a book title
of his, “Wherever You Go, There You Are.”
And Ram Dass’ iconic words, “Be Here Now”
from his book by the same title is
represented in the poem. Merton, a Catholic
monk; Kabat-Zinn, a biomedical scientist
influenced by Buddhism; and Ram Dass,
a Harvard social psychology research professor who became
a disciple of Hindu guru Neem Karoli Baba.
These and others have been my teachers from
whom I have learned about living, aging, and dying.
I have tried to be a good student and continue to learn.
photo by author ‘On the Front Stoop’
poem: autumn in its ascendancy
poem: autumn in its ascendancy
autumns riot
of color, activity, and light
is a boon for our dulled senses
plants abloom, leaves turn,
bees gather, spiders weave,
golden light and shadows dance
let us find a field
entering as we are able
and marvel its rustic splendor
in awhile
dormancy, darkness, and decay
will send us sheltering inside reflecting
so all hail autumn
in your zenith here and now
harvesting what we may
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
September 22, 2022 (Autumn Equinox)
photos by author
tanka: autumn mundane and sublime
tanka: autumn mundane and sublime
morning cool and crisp
throw a blanket on the bed
earth’s in its orbit
sun low on the horizon
light and shadow at my door
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
September 17, 2022
here&now working poetry
September 17, 2022
photo by author
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: child of the universe, hippie, yogi, elder
poem: child of the universe,
hippie, yogi, elderneither clinging to a nostalgic past,
nor projecting a future of sentimentality,
now resisting social norms of
emotional idealism and neurotypical
stereotyping
hippie, yogi, elderneither clinging to a nostalgic past,
nor projecting a future of sentimentality,
now resisting social norms of
emotional idealism and neurotypical
stereotyping
I, being a witness of here and now,
maintaining spiritual consciousness,
invitational presence, and attentive
mutuality, connecting deeply at soul level,
opening to the wholeness of other
we, belonging here together in beloved
community, falling upward in grace and love,
cycling through the bardo, eternally together
with the supreme in cosmic union,
that am I (tat tvam asi)
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
August 28, 2022
photo by author
“Here is, in truth, the whole secret of
Yoga, the science of the soul. The active
turnings, the strident vibrations, of
selfishness, lust and hate are to be stilled
by meditation, by letting heart and mind
dwell in spiritual life, by lifting up the
heart to the strong, silent life above, which
rests in the stillness of eternal love, and
needs no harsh vibration to convince it of
true being.”- Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali
“The Perennial Philosophy is expressed
most succinctly in the Sanskrit formula,
tat tvam asi (‘That art thou’); the Atman,
or immanent eternal Self, is one with
Brahman, the Absolute Principle of all
existence; and the last end of every human
being, is to discover the fact for himself, to
find out who he really is.” – Aldous Huxley
“It is only those who are in constant revolt
that discover what is true, not the man who
conforms, who follows some tradition. It is only
when you are constantly inquiring, constantly
observing, constantly learning, that you find
truth, God, or love.”- Jiddu Krishnamurti
poem: initiation
poem: initiation
witnessing life’s tension
with both/and mind,
opening to the complementary
experiencing the interconnectedness
of all things (oneing),
the initiated adult
in the the second half of life emerges
from their ego’s protective shell
of small self becoming
an invitational presence
of mutuality and belonging
here and now in the
beloved community
Herb Stone
August 15, 2022
here&now working poetry
poem: mindful, intentional, purposeful
poem: mindful, intentional, purposeful
our presence deeply
touching the moment
beyond ego and selfishness performing acts sacramentally
without attachment
to outcomes interconnecting as One
in the flow
of all existence manifesting equanimity of mind
healing inner fears
and worldly suffering being holistically
body, mind, and spirit
in mutuality with the Cosmos transforming personal self awareness
through dominant thinking to collective
Self realization of Spiritual Union prepare
practice
participate one turns around
receives the key
opens the door, enters Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
August 1, 2022 art image by Meghan Oona Clifford
‘Star Born’
touching the moment
beyond ego and selfishness performing acts sacramentally
without attachment
to outcomes interconnecting as One
in the flow
of all existence manifesting equanimity of mind
healing inner fears
and worldly suffering being holistically
body, mind, and spirit
in mutuality with the Cosmos transforming personal self awareness
through dominant thinking to collective
Self realization of Spiritual Union prepare
practice
participate one turns around
receives the key
opens the door, enters Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
August 1, 2022 art image by Meghan Oona Clifford
‘Star Born’
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.
