Tag Archives: Diner Mystic

BEAUTY (for Mary)

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Isn’t it true that capitalism has been the death of beauty
Since as soon as anyone tries to buy beauty –
It crumbles, turns to dust, and slips out of one’s grasp.

Beauty must always be a gift, acquired solely through thoughts of love –
The kind of gift you hold onto until the end –
First, in your room, then in your chest of jewels,
And, finally, clasped in your dying hand.

This gift is one of pure joy, made solely for you.

A great deal of thought, patience, and passion went into this gift –
No one else in the world has anything like it.
It’s the first and last thought of an invisible American poet
Who nobody knows the name of.

Beauty is a spiritual light that makes the eyes shine –
Beauty is falling in love by accident – that is, “out of the blue” –
Beauty is holy lovemaking that, one night, created you, you, you!

Dear heart, only one,
You’re my beautiful true life-partner!

WHEN JESUS TALKED ABOUT GOD

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When Jesus talked about God, everyone who heard him
Knew he knew what he was talking about.

In today’s world, however, we’re barely able to hear this earlier Jesus –
Strained through the muffled ears of a religious establishment
Who’re familiar with the name
But not much else – other than denominational dogma.

It’s been 70 generations since Jesus’ voice has actually been heard –
Think about the “telephone game” and what that amount of time means for historical accuracy 
So that the person who still hears his voice directly
Is a rare person, indeed!

So, only an infinitesimal few still clearly hear him
And no one else, today, has been able to achieve his particular voice –
The voice of someone who knows God
So that when he or she speaks – you hear God coming through.

I pray, one day, to be permitted to open my own heart sufficiently
To love God much like Jesus did –
So that when you and I meet –
You’ll be able to“feel” what I’m experiencing –
Ecstatic love in a quotidian life!

GOD SINGS IN COLORS

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Traditional English poets were primitive
Because you could hear the “beat” but not actually “see” much of anything.

When your heart echoes that beat and starts becoming giddy –
Your eyes will still be saying you have no idea where you really are!

A poet of fountains hears cool splashing –
A poet of the mind occasionally knows what he’s talking about –
But a poet that “sees” the world – as it is –
Is the poet God listens to.

God sings all the time –
Not always in melodies, that’s true,
But listen – God’s singing right now
About a direction in which to go and friends we might want to listen to!

God also sings in colors –
But only mystics are able to see this beauty
And only mystics have a good idea what God’s been talking about –
Generally, love, truth, justice, or beauty –
Directing these holy conversations straight through our hearts.

CHRISTIAN CAPITALISM

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Poets of “the spirit,” to some, may appear un-American
Because “America” stands for a boyish “toughness” –
For men pursuing women with showers of strength
And women carrying out the role of store-window mannequins of beauty.

However, the spirit, in essence, is beautiful by itself!
Which is why it’s so unknown in all 50 states –
After all, people didn’t come here for beauty
They came for money
And, for some at least, there’s been plenty of that.

There’s a surplus of energy banging around in the good ol’ U.S. of A. –
Lots of striving to make “big house” dreams come true
Culminating in hierarchies of unequals – originally imported from the Old World
But, more recently, branded “Christian Capitalism”
Worshipped by cold and intolerant Evangelical hearts
Without the necessity of any spiritual foundation whatsoever.

It’s a mystery why beauty never became more important in America –
Perhaps it’s our dedication to “first things first”
Or that we simply never got around to fully appreciating it.

Treating “beauty” in this way, however –
Imagine how unlikely we’re ever going to view “love” or “truth” –
Much less “God” in a serious manner either.

A WORLD OF SPLINTERED MINDS

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The poet “drowns” himself in beauty –
But this can never happen in the West – in the land of logical thinking.

The poet greets a flower on the dining room table
Which his wife placed there that morning – just before he arose.

The internet, on the other hand, never contains actual beauty
Because whatever’s there –
Isn’t real –
And, since only the real is vulnerable to dying, only the real can truly be beautiful.

So, wake up – put down your iPhone –
Beauty, as the essence of God, is waiting everywhere – just for you.

Like I said, wake up, little one –
Then, wake up again!
Because beauty resides only in that second awakening.

The poet has “drowned” himself in beauty –
But, unfortunately, he’s asleep – and completely unaware of it –
This kind of “waking sleep” constitutes normal quotidian activity –
A mental “mirror” reflecting infinite numbers of digital mirrors –
But never, ever, an actual flower!

So, this all-encompassing electronic world, completely empty of natural beauty,
Will always be a world of splintered minds.

A BEAUTY WE HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO IMAGINE

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First, there’s the “self” our mother celebrates –
A mother who loves her child –
This self is like a hard rubber ball
Rolling and bouncing around borderline realities.

Next is an incipient “God” self – which is aspirational –
The person we would like to become –
Prayers floating out ahead of us
Accompanied by whispered dreams – nearly coming true –
Which culminates in the “beloved” – essentially, your “true self.”

Then, finally, one day, we might even begin thinking about attempting the ultimate goal –
A no-thing who’s equally a non-persona –
More beautiful than beauty –
So much so that it stuns our eyes.

In this experience, we discover the kind of joy
Allowing us to forget who we are – or, even, who we ever were –
Revealing a beauty we haven’t been able to imagine –
A beauty we might actually achieve if we were “God”
Or, perhaps even, “God’s” God.

WHEN MEN ARE FREE TO BE BEAUTIFUL

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When men are free to be beautiful
And women become inspired by the bravery of Alexander –

When men start reflecting on the beauty of their surroundings
And women train night and day for competitive contests –

When men write poetry about their love of the natural world
And women burn with desire for stellar accomplishments –

Is the time when men and women will start switching roles –
And, then, switching back again –
Especially since such roles will no longer exist –
Nor the traditional hierarchies either –
And people’s historically stubborn egos will disappear forever.

When everyone becomes free enough to be their “true self”
They’ll also be free to ask what God would do – and then, actually, do it!

This is the spiritual space Jesus embodied himself,
Then perfected, and, subsequently, died for!

Now, two millennia later, it’s become somewhat easier to achieve –
Not, of course, a “gimme” –
But, certainly, more possible
Now than then!

ONCE ALL THE PRESENTS ARE OPENED

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It’s good to be humble
Yet, sometimes, it’s good to recognize that the universe
Has been patiently waiting just for you.

It’s good to be modest
But, sometimes, you might imagine becoming a rock star
Singing to people shouting out your name.

Personally, I’m a nobody – and completely unknown –
But what a luxury to be so free –
Since no one’s been expecting anything from me!

I have a secret, though, that God’s whispering:

“One day, many people may be thankful
For writing down what’s needed.”

Fortunately, however, by then I’ll no longer be here
And that’s, in fact, what God has wanted –
No envy –
Knowing I’d be long gone
Once all the presents are being opened!

HER SLIGHTLY FADING BUT ALWAYS FAITHFUL LOVER

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You wake up and, magically, you’ve become someone else –
Someplace else!

You can do this at least once in a lifetime –
As well as every day, and every second if you really want!

Falling asleep is traveling where the dreamgods live –
Falling asleep is where love can no longer even be imagined!

So, you need to wake up and, then, wake up once more –
Awakening out of ordinary awakeness –
Listen, you can do this again
And again and again!

God keeps slapping you gently on the face, saying,
“Wake up, wake up, little one” –
And so you do, but only reluctantly.

Descending through God’s universe-sized face and approaching my wife of many years –
I see her smiling quizzically and starting to laugh –

Because she recognizes me –
She knows who I’ve always been
And has a good sense about who I’m about to become –

That is, her slightly fading but always faithful lover.

“A TRUE HUMAN BEING IS NOT HUMAN!”

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From “A Surprise of Roses” by Rumi

Rumi is talking here about the “true self” –
While “humans” are egos with no idea who they really are –
So, the day a human can remove “herself” from herself –
Is like throwing a key away that no longer fits the lock
Like being surprised by a kiss that touches only air
Or a play marriage that children solemnly enact.

After one stops claiming their human ego –
What’s left is God – and nothing but God.
Perhaps it may take you a long while to accept this –
Perhaps you’ll hear friends and neighbors muttering, “How dare you!”
And yet, there’s no going back – given what little’s left behind.

It’s true that, at this point, one has no alternative
But to continue going forward and claim God for oneself!
Especially, given that God is free, you might well decide – why not you too?
Why not escape your narrow ego commitments and become free yourself?

God freely fills the night sky with bright and pulsing stars –
Also, God’s always free to laugh – any time and any place –
And, God as a child, one day, became Jesus
Willing to die “ugly” on a cross.

Since no one has ever been able to kill God however –
Whenever they have tried, the result has only been infinitely more God!