flawed

you are not
beautiful
because of the way
you look
on the outside
but because of how
you love
and give
and care.

~

RN

Legacy

when your pride
comes from
a place that
includes 
the enslavement
of another people,
it is no longer
a source 
of pride.

~

RN

come out

i dared
the thoughts
to come out onto
the paper
they sneered
and sighed and
laughed and
pointed
and then got quiet
humbled
by my pen.

~

RN

With A Poem

I'm not going to change

your mind with a poem

I couldn't make you act

differently or better

if I tried

That is not within my power

But what is

Is how I choose to speak

How I choose to respond

How I choose to behave

and decide

That the world cannot stay this way

Abusing and confusing and destroying

each other

That the planet cannot stay this way

Exhausting and depleting

and stripping and melting

That We, The People, cannot

stay this way

We were born to love

We were born to create

And so, in the now of this

very moment

I will not stay this way

With my heart breaking

Every day

Although I cannot

Change your mind

With a poem.

~

RN

the wall, breached

there will be no peace
until all people are
equally free.
and there will be 

nothing close to freedom
until the constructs
of oppression
that exist
crumble down.

So what are you 

building with
your life --
another wall ?

~

RN

love is blind

navigating
these walls
in the dark
eyes 
cut out
only fingertips
left
searching.

~

RN

exit

if i could walk
out of myself
i would leave behind
no mess, i would
close all of the doors
and turn to face
this path
if i could walk out
of myself
i would not
feel this pain again.

~

RN

harsh awakening

the kind of shooting
where no one cries
out or screams
just BOOM
and slam and it's over.

~

RN 

skim

there is a bird
skimming across the water
like a boat with both
paddles out
pulled evenly
like a kite carving
through the air streams
but the surface
is my mind
and the bird
is a feeling of calm.

~

RN

begin

what would you do today
if it were your last
day
what would you
let go of
who would you forgive
what would you stop
carrying around
how would you change things
for the better
who do you need to say
thank you to
and where would you
begin--right now ?

~

RN

lessons

Need
is the greatest teacher
said the lock
it forces you
to search
for the key.

Desire
is the greatest teacher
said the craving
it demands
that you decide
on a solution.

Grief
is the greatest teacher
said the empty arms
it lies
and says that nothing
will change.

Hope
is the greatest teacher
says the sunshine
it speaks the truth
that rests
in every seed.

~

RN

reflections

do not let other
people's decisions
determine the perception
of your own
self-worth.
their choices are not
a reflection of who
you are,
but a reflection
of themselves.

~

RN

out on the water

out on the water
no land or refuge in sight
we rock with every wave
a breath
up - inhalation
down - exhaling, a slide
and in our boat we battle
currents not meant for us
the heavy pull
of dark and swirling anger
cold distrust and sparkling,
bruised hurt,
the ocean
capable of holding so
many emotions
they throttle
the boat til it swings
on the verge of flipping
over,
crew and cargo drowning,
but wait--
the rowers sing--

THIS IS HOW WE LEARN

with every new storm
a new skill
with every upheaval
a choice
a chance to learn how to repair
to respond
not by avoiding the passage
but by traveling with our whole
hearts
open--the sails
unfurling in the sun
up - inhalation
down - breathing out
and raising
our voices, as one.

~

RN

release

she hides her sadness--

the earth holds hers in petals,

falling to the ground.

~

RN

to think love

i remember when i used
to think love
was possession
and i wonder
if i've changed
or if i still believe
that's true
do i still associate
control with affection,
power with adoration,
do i still see my
edges as
other-defined ?

~

RN

not backward

why would you want to go backward ?
when you know you are here right now.
why would you want to go back there ?
when you know it would not
be any different, or better,
than you left it.
why would you want to flee ?

when you have the power
to choose, in your hands.

~

RN

meditation

i am safe with myself.
i am safe with my pain.
i am safe with my anger.
i am safe with my fear.
i am safe with my joy.
i am safe with my happiness.
i am safe with my peace.
i am safe with all
of my feelings.
i am safe with all
of my thoughts.
i am safe with my
impermanence.
i am safe with my
eternity.

~

RN

the absence

when things are defined as the absence
of another
what is darkness
without light, what is sorrow
without your sweet smile,
tilting upward as a new day begins
and the sunlight sweeps
across your memory.

~

RN

earth cycle

i am the air
i am the clouds
i am the rain
i am the storm
i am the ocean
i am the waves
i am the shore
i am the land
i am the trees
i am the branches
i am the leaves
i am the flowers
i am the wind
i am the air.

~

RN

red light

I said, rest
And my mind said, no.
I said, rest
And my body said, go.
I said, wait
And my ego said, what ??
Wait for what ?!
I said, this.
And I sat
In the present
And breathed.

~

RN