POETRY

and

2011-04-06T11:49:00.001-04:00

and the weapons are fired

and the people fall

all for some cause

all for some reason

for it is the season of rage

and killing

and death

and destruction

yet,

the snowbells blossom

the grass greens in the warming spring sun

the oaks shed their pollen

the rose buds

and crocus rise from the damp

for the earth nurtures all living things

for the sun shines on all

as does the moon

and the earth spins

round it's axis

come, hold my hand

and i'll hold yours

and we will breathe

the fresh air together

Ron Eklof 2011

Rise and Shine

2010-08-08T07:21:00.001-04:00

Rise and shine all mankind
Come and greet the day

Yawn and stretch every synapse
Wash crusty sleep from your eyes
Let light enter your windows
Breath deep dawn's cool air
Smell the moist breeze
Floating in from the sea

Eat of the crusty bread
From daily prepared table
Drink of nature's bountiful waters

Gather your strength while ye may
For there is work to be done

And life is lived this day only

HEY YOU, OVER THERE

2010-05-04T09:23:00.003-04:00

Across the river is another country
An imaginary, arbitrary line drawn in the water
Separates you from me and versa vice

Yet the birds flying overhead see no division
See no separateness and fly north and south

The fishes under the surface
Swim east to west and west to east
Each diurnal journey
With no discernment of separation

But we
We intelligentsia
Say this is true
Our lands, our traditions
What we honor, what we hold true
Is not what you may hold dear

This is us and that is you
Because we say so
Because we do so

And we agree upon this
We make laws upon this
We set up barriers upon this

Yet the birds fly
And the fishes swim
Unhindered by arbitrary lines
Free in reality

Ron Eklof 2007
*

A Weaving

2010-04-03T17:15:00.001-04:00

In the warp and weft

Of our daily walk
A thread is woven into
The fabric of a life
It's vibrancy tempered
By hues of attitude
The vicissitudes of the times

Day after day the loom is worked
Using blends of colored thread:
The blood red of anger
The black nights of the soul
The magenta of yearnings
Bright yellow of hopes
Deep blue of understandings
Soft green of new awakenings
The pure white of grace

As the shuttle moves back and forth
Guided by the Master's hand
A pattern emerges on the loom
And becomes a tapestry
Admired by others
Showing a life well lived

In remembrance of Ken Kilmartin

Ron Eklof 2010

What Did You Build

2010-02-08T20:42:00.001-05:00

I've built castles out of sand
Watched them crumble in the wind
Wash away in a storm tide
Leaving no trace of effort
Nothing for others to see
Only a memory, mine
Glimpsed in idle reverie

I've built castles in the air
Made of dreams, ideas and fancies
I've moved in and found a home
Away from roiling humanity
Far from the clutches of earth
Gone, now, as the morning dew
Disappears in reality's sun

Thence to wander aimless
Across a barren waste
Cut by dull knives of inconvenience
Bruised by uncaring egos
Stopping to pare my nails
To be close to my own self
To attend my own issues

Whence an inner resolve builds
A determined frame of mind
A realm of the heart
A place where the power
That knows its self
Is nurtured
And is allowed its reign

Ron Eklof '10

For Ed Girard

2009-12-30T13:43:00.005-05:00

In order for the male of our specie to mature
We need role models
Ed was such an exemplar

He showed what it means
To be a man of quiet dignity
Soft of speech, quick of wit
He showed how to use wry humor
To get a point across

Recently I spoke to him
Of a situation I had
A character defect
Which rose to the occasion

After listening, he said,
"The bomb is still there,
But the fuse is longer"
How apt and prescient he was

They’re going to enjoy you in heaven, Ed
Like we did on Earth

Fare thee well
You made an impression
On all you touched

Ron Eklof 2009

*

Blue Skies

2009-10-06T08:59:00.004-04:00

Some would have nothing but blue skies from now on
Clear as far as the eye can see
With nothing to cloud vision
No blips on their radar

Yet, for me, some clouds now and then are welcome
Something in the sky for the sun to hide behind
To shade me from its fiery flames
To make a difference

For the sky is a white canvas
With blue paint from horizon to the corners
Minimalist art for nouveau galleries
But nothing to write home about

Show me clouds for morning light to color
Soft pinks among the somber grey
Thence turning to bright white puffs
Contrasting with the blue

Delight me with a parade of fulminating clouds
Marching to the whims of the winds
Through which rays of sunlight stream
To touch the ground, pooling light amid the shade

More clouds at the fade of sun
With brilliant hues to astonish my eyes
Edge the purple with gold
That make me turn round and gaze the far horizon

Give me pulsating rhythms to silence the white noise in my ears
Give me the taste of hot and cold, sweet and sour, crunchy and smooth
Allow the scent of jasmine in the cool of dawn
Let me feel the curve that bends the straight

Give me the spontaneous at any time of day
Give me more than just blue skies all day long

Ron Eklof 2009

Snapshots 1

2009-09-15T21:04:00.002-04:00

Zephyr

On a warm September morning
Windows and doors wide open
A zephyr pushes its way
Through my home
These thoughts pause
As my skin wakens
To a refreshing breeze

Norfolke 2009

BY AN UNWEPT GRAVE

2009-06-06T08:12:00.003-04:00

By an unwept grave
Leaves scatter to the ground
A bell sounds three times
The wind sways the branches
Shriveled roses lie on a nearby stone
Birds are silent in the grey afternoon

I walk in the quiet
Between the remembered and not
Not searching but gazing
At names and dates
On chiseled granite and eroding marble
Through land set aside for the past

Broken columns
Cherub faces on flaking slate
Biblical names unused in this day
Words carved of heaven's reward
Dates marking too short lives
Relations noted

Dry grass crunches under foot
My shoes scuff the dirt
As I walk to the wrought iron gates
I know/knew none in this place
No tears left by me

The Dancing Spirit

2008-11-24T14:55:00.002-05:00

On polished floors as lights swirled around the ballroom
You, entranced by the sound, followed your passion
We watched the sway of skirt to bouncing rhythms
Saw you laugh and delight in your partner's arms

All to soon the dance is done and we've said our adieus
Parted as the lights dimmed to black
The music has stopped, the band has stepped out for a cigarette
But sweet memories remain and floating tunes linger in our ears

The ship has passed into the night
As sultry sounds wend their way to heaven
And we know of one who still dances the night away
Who is swinging among the stars

For when we look up to the night sky
See the motion of the heavenly bodies
We will hear the laughter
We will remember your music

It was a pleasure to know you, Mary.

Ron Eklof 2008

CAT / MOON

2008-10-21T16:28:00.003-04:00

The cat doesn't mind the moon
Outside the window
Where he sits

The movement of small critters
Of that
He is aware

The moon gives shine
As, in the day, the sun

But, the cat doesn't mind
How many times the moon appears
Nor count his trips around the sun

Ron Eklof 1997

FOOTSTEPS

2008-10-16T08:12:00.006-04:00

The sound of footsteps in the darkness
I walk through the misted gloom
Pass under a streetlamp and pause
Still hear the sound of shoes
Now they stop
In the darkness beyond the circle of light

I cannot see movement
I feel the presence of danger

I start walking
Feel the wet air on my skin
Hear my own scuffing shoes
Change direction and move into an alley
Into a doorway
And wait
The sound of footsteps continue
Now stop
I stay motionless
Looking for a glimmer of movement

Nothing
I look at the day glow watch on my wrist
5 minutes pass
No sound
10 minutes
A cat meows

I'm walking again
My footsteps echo off the walls in the alley
If I can't see anyone, they can't see me
Didn't think of night vision goggles

I feel the hand on my shoulder
Turn in a defensive posture
Feel the knife enter my ribs
Fall to the wet cobblestones

Hear footsteps echoing as they fade in the misty darkness
A leaf blows against my face
I smell the chill damp
The silence deafens my ears
My eyes close

Ron Eklöf © 2008

WANTING

2008-10-08T10:09:00.005-04:00

There are those
Who want all
That money can buy

And then

There are those
Who want all
That money can not buy

Both are found wanting
Not satisfied with what they have

It's not all the one
and not all the other
But,
a little of both,
perhaps

What do I want?
What do I have?

Enough for today

Ron Eklof '08

MYSTERIOUS PATH

2008-05-26T10:31:00.007-04:00

As we walk this mysterious path

We see that everyone is on one

The difference between us is

With whom we choose to walk

Those who have gone before

Return to tell what they have found

Yet, when we round the bend

We find our own path

Our own riches and delights

To rely upon other eyes

Is to miss the sights right in front of us

Distracted by what others said would be here

They have their ways

They have their wherefores

I chose to walk with you

And share this adventure together

I chose to walk with you

We had some fun, didn't we?

For Neda

2008-05-08T15:38:00.003-04:00

Attend your heart gently
With all your mind and soul
For where the heart is there lies your love
And the one with love blesses the whole world
In every act of kindness
In every sharing of love

ron eklof 08

Don't Act Your Age

2008-04-16T18:34:00.005-04:00

Don't act your age
For that is but a number
And maturity is not
A numerical value

Rather, act your heart
For this is an unleashed spring
Watering the arid land
As does the oasis in a desert

It's not how many times
We've gone 'round the Sun
But if our heart has opened
Even once

COME UNTO ME

2008-04-13T19:04:00.004-04:00

Come unto me O vapors of earth and I will fill the sky
With brilliant whiteness
To spread in the Sun's heat and stretch across the heavens
My crisp edges bend and flow into new shapes

I reign upon your parade, push up the daisies
And fill the hills with daffodils as far as the eye can see
Fill your ponds and aquifers to sate your thirst
Make rivers that float your boats to the sea

Come unto me O vapors of earth, give me your energy
I can be soft as cotton as fierce as a sword from the sky
I thunder your doors, flash light through bedroom windows
Where kitties scurry under the bed and children cling for dear life

Now, I disappear for days on end leaving blue skies all alone
Then come floating back to cast overcast and hide the sun from you
I darken the day and make everything shadow and grey and gloom
I let loose sleet and snow by the shovelfuls for this is me in winter

Come unto me O vapors of earth and fuel my engine
I cool the hot summer day and let my brother wind free
To blow the hats off gentle men and lift skirts with gay abandon
A willful rascal, he, with no respect for laundry nor ships at sea

As a cauliflower I billow in summer and reach the stratosphere
As cumulus and nimbus and wispy stratus
Look at my theater; you may see faces and bears, a witch on a broom
For I am a screen to your fantasy
Before the curtain closes with the advent of night

Come unto me

Ron Eklof '08

WHITE EMBERS FALL

2008-04-13T19:00:00.001-04:00

White embers fall
Grey Moon, white sliver
Grey smoke smudge
Thump
Flash white streak
Red burst
Faces shine red
Upward chins
Eyes glisten
Ooooo
Wowwwwww
Thump
Falling white spirals shriek
Flash white streak
Green burst sparkle
Red thunder
Oooooo
Wowwwww
Blue dissolve
Falling white embers
Grey smoke smudges
Parade across black sky
Below white moon sliver
Do it again
Thump
Ron Eklof 08

SHINE ON

2008-04-11T22:14:00.006-04:00

There are those who walk ahead
And those who walk behind
But those who walk side by side
Oh, they're the bestest kind

Through hard lessons we have learned
And shared our fresh insights
That joyful mirth and warm embrace
Make our burdens light

From the shambles of our past
Lived on desperate streets
We came to know that that dark hour
Was a lamp unto our feet

To help others on this road
We meet on common ground
With common problem, common solution
Impart the commonwealth we found

I'd not have tread this road so well
Were you not by my side
We shared the wonder that we saw
Each the other's guide

Shine on, Nicky, shine on

Ron Eklof ‘08

In remembrance of Nick Natale

A WEAVING

2008-04-11T20:35:00.002-04:00

On a loom are we created
And have our breadth of days
Our web fashioned by unseen weaver's hands
Deftly spun we become the woof
Now the warp
Slowly turned into tapestry

The filaments of our lives entwine
Each strand touching others
Soft wool, hard jute, supple linen
A spectrum of color and feel
Amid the rough fiber find gold thread
Blended with those of common mettle

Each sees their texture but dimly
For we busy ourselves in being the yarn
Yet, in heaven's time is revealed an artful plan
A fabric woven from laughing hearts
From joyful love's embrace
And, too, of sorrow's tears
On the humble trail we trod

Shall we now lift our hearts
In sweet appreciation
For a life well lived,
For a life well spent;
Fashioned from recovered cloth
Into a weaving made divine

Ron Eklof ‘08

In appreciation for Nick Natale

Cherubim of Snow

2008-02-29T08:48:00.005-05:00

Thanks Chicago Jim
For the sideways view of snow
Imagination

I had turned the photo on it's side like this and saw Botticelli's works: The Madonna and a cherubim.
What do you see?

THERE ARE THOSE

2006-01-17T18:10:00.002-05:00

There are those who walk ahead
And those who walk behind
But those who walk side by side
Oh, they're the bestest kind

We walk through grassy morning dew
We stride the beach at night
Walk shady lanes in midday sun
And share soft sunset light

In summer's heat we hike the trails
To reach the mountain crest
When leaves begin to once more fall
We stop and take our rest

In winter's breath we strap on skis
To ride o'er pathless hills
But now by jonquil bedded slope
We pause to take our fill

I would not tread these roads at all
Were you not by my side
To share the wonder that we see
With each the other's guide
'05

WELCOME

2004-12-08T08:29:00.001-05:00

We welcome you to your new life
Upon this rock called Earth.
We grant in you all blessings be;
The peace, the joy, the mirth.

May you have all the air to breathe
That you will ever need;
Abundant bread to feed your soul
And share it without greed.

Oh, child of mine; oh, daughter ours,
Welcome to freedom, come.
In artful ways, spend all your days,
In playful realm, not glum.

In winsome mask shall you employ
Beguiling strands of whimsy.
Bedeck the days, 'tis yours to do,
With slithy toves of mimsey.

May you find that sunny days
And cloudy days, as well.
Give grace by divergent means
Upon you, gentle belle.

For you can sing a song of joy
No matter what the season;
To bring forth love so we may see
A zest for life most pleasin'.

Now, here you lie within your crib,
When all is done and said;
Let slumber rest your innocence;
Easy lay your tousled head.

We look at you, at your sweet smile;
You have come to bless this world.
We take this time, we take this while,
To welcome our little girl.

Norfolke '99

STARDUST

2004-12-08T08:27:00.001-05:00

We are of Stardust made
And have been here since the beginning
If there ever was one
We will be here til the end
If there ever is one

If ever there was a Creation
This is it
Right here, right now
And nothing is missing

Are we not full of wonder
Are we not wonderful
For we are of Stardust made

(c) Norfolke '97

I WROTE

2004-12-08T08:19:00.001-05:00

I wrote out a poem called
“STOPPING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING”
With the familiar line “And miles to go before I sleep”
I wrote this work by Robert Frost in pen
On a lined yellow pad of paper

My hand moved the ink
Over and around vowel and consonant
Up stroke and line curving each letter
To bring forth the words

Had the feeling of completeness
In each line and thought
Felt the joy of writing a famous poem
And what Robert may have felt writing it first
I did not have to edit a thing
For Robert had already done that part

This was not just a piece to read and leave
But to be involved with; in the creativity of it
The pleasure was mine as it had been his
We wrote together

Knowing the emotion of writing my own poetry
In words from my lexicon and mind
The feeling and intuition of my soul
I share as he shared the experience sublime

Someday I will write another poem
Maybe in my words or someone else’s
For to put pen to paper
Is to open and create

(c) Ron Eklof 2003

A WANDERING MINSTREL I

2004-12-08T08:14:00.000-05:00

A wandering minstrel I
Met a fair spinstral by
The wood on a sprightly fall day.

And in my insouciant way
Asked the lass for a lay.
To which she spit in me eye.

Tut, tut, my dear little slut,
'tis it not time for a rut?
Let us pass the day in the hay.

To wit she replied
All haughty and snide,
“You sir, are a rascal, a bounder and a cad.“

I could only respond,
“And you, Madame,
Are a mackerel, a flounder and a cod.”

(c) Norfolke 2000

(0o)

NAKED CAME I

2004-12-08T08:11:00.001-05:00

Naked came I from the womb of woman
And naked am I 'neath this cloth.
Yea, come the end of my time,
And I'll naked lie, eternal.

When the winds of change
Wrestle the palms by the shore,
And the heavens heave tumult below,
I stand a rock on the barren sands,
Braving the forces infernal.

'Tis an arrogant one who flippant be;
'Tis the foolish one who pushes his pride
Beyond the scope of rational thought;
To outwardly show what no one should see:
The tormented child held internal.

Jut of the chin says come punch me now.
Knock this chip off my shoulder.
Get up seven times
After seven times down,
A practice repeated diurnal.

Where, oh where has my little soul gone?
Where, oh where can it be?
'Neath a stony cold heart?
In the harsh words of hate?
In the icy black ink of my journal?

Naked came I from the womb of woman
And naked am I 'neath this cloth.
Yea, come the end of my time
And I'll naked lie, eternal.

© NORFOLKE '00

CHILL

2004-12-08T08:09:00.000-05:00

A chilly Florida morning
Seems colder than the north country
Where winter gales impale the neck
And shiver me timbers down

'Tis colder here where the feet are numb
And the spine recoils from draft
I snug the jacket in wrapped embrace
And you,
Cold heart,
You say,
"It's only 48."

Brrrrrrrrr

Norfolke '01

KEEPERS

2004-12-08T08:04:00.000-05:00

He walks along the shore with his companion
A bright summer morning, air fresh, sky blue,
The cool sand crunching under their feet;
Gulls call in the distance.

He stops to pick up a shell, she walks on.

Iridescent green and red shine in its inner spiral.
Intricate striations and knurls on its outside.
It is beautiful, perfect, a keeper.

He takes it to his friend.
She looks at it, observes that it is pretty,
But, it has a piece missing;
It's broken and not whole.
"You're not going to keep it, are you?"
She moves on, looking for her keepers
Further along the shore.

He walks with her,
Still holding the shell,
And knows that, to him,
It is whole and complete,
In and of itself.

It is not deminished by what is absent,
But is perfect just the way it is;
Just so.

He puts it in his pocket.

Rather than looking to find perfection,
He finds perfection where he looks.

Oh, look at that...

Norfolke '99

I SAW A WOMAN

2004-12-07T22:30:00.001-05:00

I SAW A WOMAN with rings on her toes,
Rings in her ears and rings in her nose.
She brings her persona wherever she goes.
Wants to be diff'rent, I guess, I suppose.

I SAW A WOMAN on the way to her work,
Not as a waitress, not as a clerk.
She wore a grey suit, making ev’ry head jerk.
Wants to be diff'rent, I guess it must work.

I SAW A WOMAN with blue hair on her head.
Her rouge was not blush, but orange instead.
Insouciant lips were painted blood red.
Wants to be diff'rent 'til the day she drops dead.

I SAW A WOMAN with mind all asunder,
Going around stealing the thunder,
Spouting faux pas and political blunder.
Wants to be diff'rent, I guess it’s no wonder.

I SAW A WOMAN wearing gypsy-like clothes,
All in a jumble, this costume she chose,
Some of it shabby, like the runs in her hose.
Wants to be diff'rent, I guess, I SuppHose.

(c) Norfolke '99

I WILL NOT

2004-12-07T14:12:00.000-05:00

I will not, cannot, must not pursue my dream
But crush any bliss I would have
And hide my light under bushel, within dark closet
Beneath ignoble rock

Not for me a pursuit of legend, joy, and great stature
Rather, in gloom of day, I plod the drudgery road
No star to guide, no ship to return
As none was put out to sea

Yea, I fear of death, simple evil
And the unseen power of an unglimpsed future
I revile these gifts wrapped within
Have contempt for talents that lie undisturbed
Yet ask no grant or favor to break the chains in me

So, keep this fold upon mine eye
That I not see through disquieting fog
Ray no light to reach my skin
Nor allow me view the moon of aspiration

I clutch my cloak of dark despair
Muse be gone from me
When Time is come to loose my mortal illusion
I dread to meet feared fire

Yet let it come while I am unready

Ron Eklof (c) 2002

THE HAIR ON MY NOSE

2004-12-07T14:07:00.001-05:00

So the hair on my chinny-chin-chin
Is better than a hair on my nose.
Can there be a whinny-win-win?
It goes without saying, but I'll say it, I suppose

That the rhyme of all reason
Calumny tantamount to treason
In the vilified season
This hair sure ain't pleasin'

Let us guillotine the offending shaft
Off with it's 'ed, send it to bed, no, to the floor instead
But, we are rebellious, and not a little bit daft
Yet like sheep to the sheerer, to the barber we’re lead

Is this what we want? To cut what we soweth?
It’s utterly fantastic, a solution so drastic
To sever so sublime a gentle growth
Of this umbrage, I’ve become quite spastic

For the eye of the beholder, beholds a great wrong
In public I'm told it, in private I'm scolded
To bring my appearance to high standards erelong
The ego is crushed; it is bent and is folded

Belay your baleful eye; withhold your viewing
of this hair you're eschewing
Who do you think I am, a pimpled-faced soda jerker?
For it's not just the nose, but my persona you're skewing
Me thinks I'll go Islamic and wear a grey burkha

With slits for the eyes and shod in my sandals
I hide in the tents, hang out with the camels
In darkened alcoves lit with small candles
Avoiding the glances of two-legged mammals

I love this little one curled upon once proud snout
Our lives are filled with pain and sorrow
I want you here, hair; others want you out
Be us resigned; hair today, gone tomorrow

Snip

'03

MUSE OF PEN

2004-12-07T11:02:00.001-05:00

Come to me, o muse of pen
And course across the page
Let words flow out of sense
And paper be thy stage

Let fly the ink to indelible stain
From a heart that finds its speech
Once writ it lies for every eye
To see the inward reach

May this trail of penciled lead
Scribe over smooth pulped wood
A tale of import and delight
Easily understood

To be carried from this day forth
In hearts ever young
On lips, place this song
That it be ever sung

For ‘tis not I who creates what’s writ
But serving for thy use
I give you chance to make clear
What once seemed obtuse

Tho’ accolades of hand and word
May come to find my ear
I, in simple gratitude,
Thank you for being here

Ron Eklof (c) 2002

A CHEESE

2004-12-07T11:00:00.001-05:00

After "Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese." - G. K. Chesterton, I submit the following:

A CHEESE

Silent frommage
Contained it holds firm, odorless.
Yet freed from the bonds of containment
Crumbles unto the plate, aroma unleashed.
Feta compli

THE BEACH

2004-11-28T17:08:00.001-05:00

Sounds of the waves splash in my ears
Squealing seagulls swirl overhead
A child throws her bread into the air
So, the gulls, they hover and strike

Strong gusty breezes blow on my skin
While a bright summer sun bakes the sand
Towering clouds move in from the west
And sounds of the waves fill my ears...

Norfolke © ‘98

WARRIOR WOMAN

2004-11-28T17:05:00.001-05:00

In this time of shock and grief
This place of loss and sadness
I wonder as to the meaning
And see but a faint spark of light

This time we share with each other
These few precious moments soon end
Things and people move into our lives
And move on before our goodbyes

You've shown I should waste not this moment
Our differences are to be cherished
We are children all, of the same creator
And are here to love one another

In your warmth, your kindness, your giving
You've blessed many lives, even mine
In our thought, our hearts and our souls
You are present

Each will lay down his coil
To enter the spirit more fully
Today is a gift to the Creator
And we are the better in the giving

So, it is with joy I feel your presence
With grace, know that I love you
Thank you for being alive while I am
And showing me the nature of things

Ron Eklof
March 27, 1998

STANDING

2004-11-28T17:00:00.000-05:00

Here we stand, in love we be
Not falling in love are we
But, infused with love be we
Standing in love, quietly

While all around in dervish swirl
Passions on and off take whirl
In and out of heat we twirl
Standing in love, boy and girl

At rest amid the merry chase
To have and hold, on going race
Arriving at a better place
Standing in love, face to face

Warm in our arms, safe from the cold
Whispered words in ears we're told
Of cherished love and passion bold
Standing in love we behold

We give to us, one to one
What's returned is gratefully done
Grace is ours from time begun
Standing in love, second to none

Norfolke '98

SEAMLESS

2004-11-28T16:55:00.000-05:00

In the seamless presence of all that is and is not
Words merely hint at... it
The big it, the little it
The it of breadth and depth

An image comes... of Japanese print
An image of immense craggy mountains and misty valleys
With one, and only one
Small, very small man journeying on a path
Through this landscape of grandeur

He is slightly right of the center
In the bottom quadrant, headed to the right
Dressed in simple robe with flat broad hat
A staff for support
A begging bowl tied to his waist

He seems to have nothing
Nothing to call a possession
Yet humbly he has it all

Everything that is or is not belongs to him
For he is in the presence of it all
Has dominion of it all
Yet, he walks the path quietly
alone

The vast surroundings; written in stone
Written in trees and moss and mist
As if...
As if...
THIS is the presence
THIS is the whole creation
THIS is it.
... and nothing is missing

Ron Eklof (c) 2000

PILGRIM

2004-11-28T16:47:00.000-05:00

As I pilgrim to journey's end
I stop for nature's rest
To let the rustling Aspen leaves
The song of birds in nest
Soothe my heart, feed my soul

While gossamer clouds restless move
Across the azure sky
I drowse beneath a shady tree
With heavy lidded eye
Drift away, dreams unfold

Arms open to embrace the wind
I walk on solid clouds
To kiss the sky, to feel the bliss
To see the angel crowds
I realize I am whole

Now twist and turn, I'm inside out
My skin surrounds it all
The universe, within me now
It's farthest reaches fall
Within my grasp to hold

A butterfly arouses me
It flutters by my face
I leave behind the fancied flight
Back to my road of grace
Steady progress, my goal

Norfolke '98

MOORINGS

2004-11-28T16:44:00.000-05:00

it was harder, then, to let you go
but, you wanted to leave
i thought the journey was ours
not yours alone

i on the dock
not willing to untie the mooring
the vast uncharted sea
was not for this heart

no, better a cozy nestling place
warm and secure with you
away from the cold forbidding wind

then i saw we both were free
your journey yours
i had mine

it was easier now to let go
not at a dock was i
but, in my own craft
as had always been
with a course to set
and a sail to hoist

lashed to each other
for just a while
we untied from our moorings
together

(c) Ron Eklof '98

EQUAL TO

2004-11-28T16:38:00.000-05:00

The stars are in the heavens,
The sand along the shore.
The waves continue lapping
Until the Earth's no more.

I'm not a star in the heavens,
Nor a grain upon the shore,
But a human among many,
No less, and again, no more.

I've come to know I'm right sized,
I have a balanced view.
Not better than, nor worse than,
But, in fact, equal to.

Norfolke © 1998

SUSPENDED

2004-11-28T01:22:00.000-05:00

Suspended
With no ground beneath to set the feet
No mantle to cloak the shoulders
To hide nor warm the body

Naked
Naked with nothing to touch in any direction
For there are no directions
Nor any direction
No where to go as I am already here

Afloat
Afloat in space beyond measure
No where to turn
For all turnings are the same
Rebellion loosens its bonds
The noise inside subsides

Steady
Steady amid the quiet of no thought
Feelings, yes; intuition, yes
Yet, nothing to register them with
No things to scribe them with

A knowing
A knowing of the unknowable
Not, knowing the unknowable
But, in the presence of it
And, content to be here

Free
Not alone
At peace

Ron Eklof (c) 2003

I SET YOU FREE

2004-11-28T01:05:00.001-05:00

I set you free
Free to be where you want to be.
And if that place is not with me,
I set you free, I set you free.

For it's only me who lets you be
Who you are or want to be.
'Tis only I who lets me see
That I am free to set you free.

And in that deep dark mystery
Of want and need: insecurity
I move my heart gratefully
To set me free, and let you be.

(c) Ron Eklof '98

REMEMORY

2004-11-28T01:00:00.000-05:00

An infant became he.
After years of living,
Once more a babe he was;
If only for a brief moment.

Swaddled in his crib
Familiar faces peered over him.
White fleecy clouds
In the bluest of skies
Gave glowing halos to their heads;
And shafts of light streamed from above.

He gurgled and cooed;
Clear sounds made,
New eyes to see all,
Fresh skin to touch the whole world;
And he nestled in warmth,
Bathed in love.

Too soon broken, this rememory
Too soon harkened back to this present time.

Yet, is he not of all ages?
All stages of life?
As old as Methuselah?
As young as a thought?
Is this not his dying day,
His birthing day,
And every stage of life at once?

In the fullness of this moment,
This eternal now,
Be ye nestled in warmth,
Be ye bathed in love.

(c) Norfolke '98

STONES

2004-11-28T00:51:00.000-05:00

A glint in the eye
A rock in the hand
Me against you
Outlander

We've always thrown stones
Be they rocks, words, or bones
Be they arrowheads on wood and feather
Balls from cannons, bullets from guns
Bombs bursting in air
Guided missiles piloted by human hands or not

Yet behind the thrown object
Resides a darkened heart
Separating us from each other
For you are one of them
Whoever "them" may be
And I am one of us
Whoever "us" may be

We have not the same gods
Nor drink at the same well
Our mothers knew not the same father
You are heathen unto me
And know not the meaning of love

As I recoil from the vileness of thee
I hurl these words, aimed at your heart

Change your ways or else!

Oh, for the tranquil peaceable times
Will we not learn to forgive for forgiveness sake?
To do unto as if you were me?

You first.

Norfolke
September 14, 2001

WHEN THE GET UP AND GO

2004-11-27T21:56:00.000-05:00

When the get up and go has got up and went
When the wad to spend has already been spent
And the comely young lass is a thing of the past
What do we do, Mr. Moon? What do we do?

Do we honor our partners and allemande left?
Do-si-do to the south and traipse to the west?
Do we Fiddle-dee-dee and falder-all-dangle?
Give us a clue, Mr. Moon. Give us one clue

'Neath the Moon and stars in the heavens above
Is there heartless abandon, or is there true love?
I'd go where I druther, abandon my brother
If the fork ran away with my spoon

So my serious nature gives way to my silly
Let me act as a child and strum willy-nilly
To blazes with hearts so cold air turns chilly
For here beats the drum of my life

Put away my remonstrance, set aside my chagrin
The judgments I make, make my head spin
Tangled and twisted, this turmoil within
Oh! Mr. Sun! A new day is dawning

Dapple this day with love songs and flowers
For the bell tolls now and tells of the hours
When sunbeams stream 'round yon towers
Where knights are still bold, ladies still maidens

Whither thee cometh and whither thee goest
Hold one another and dance with the moest
Spring in your step, a bright gleam in your eyes
And laugh with the gift of surprise
And laugh with the gift of surprise

(c) Norfolke '00

A STAR

2004-11-23T20:07:00.000-05:00

A STAR

The heavens are less bright this night
For a star has fallen to Earth
Its brief candle out

As white scar slashed
Across the clear blue sky
A fragile cocoon tumbled
To the breast of its motherland
Oh, the humanity…

Hopes and dreams
Skills and talents
Were dashed this day
Before our eyes
Before our hearts

Yet, we will go onward
Once more, human endeavor
Will rise from our sorrow
Seeking renewed faith in our selves
In our communal efforts
For we will not stay where we are

Our destiny is to steadily press on
Building upon the shoulders and minds
Of those who came before
With eyes open to new discovery
Wherever we may find it

Ron Eklof

Thursday, February 13, 2003

WALKING

2004-11-23T18:33:00.000-05:00

There are those who walk in front
And those who walk behind
Yet, those who walk side by side
Oh, they’re the bestest kind

For our journey ‘pon this globe
Is too short, to be alone
One ahead and one behind
Away from the equal zone

Now our hands must unclasp
For one has gone ahead
To help prepare a place
Why you, not me, instead

But, this is what I must accept
That life is rife with pain
And I know not why that is so
Our love knew only gain

Except, you have not gone away
But stay within my heart
I know you in my senses full
For we are not apart

I see you in the twinkling stars
Feel you in a summer breeze
I touch you in my daughter’s kiss
Hear you in the rustling trees

Our paths met, but for a while
Our lives enhanced, became enmeshed
You have left this mortal path
Yet, I still walk with you, enmeshed

Ron Eklof 2004

IN THE LAND OF MANY VISIONS

2004-11-23T16:34:00.001-05:00

In the land of many visions I roam

and enter a room with one I have not met before now.

Her home is welcoming, her smile subtle.

We step outside onto a short path to the treed panorama of the canyon.

We linger at a wood sculpture, of a seal perhaps.
Short logs split in half, jointed roughly,

with a small hand rubbed stub on the top,

smoothed as if an upturned nose.

Exquisite play of a master heart,

where a deft touch shows an artful vision.

We return to the room and music is the muse, hear.

Mellow the tone where few surfaces glare and shine.

The mood is subdued, soft and quiet the light,

Zen the expression.

Through shared smoke comes the land of many visions:

Life is hard and good on the ranch,
Muscles ache and sweat comes easy,
Dust and spit, whip, rope, horse and muck,
Yells in the wild wind, smells in the tame barn,
Work to be done that doesn’t end at nightfall
Hunger in the belly for familiar table.

And the Easterner comes with his think about,

rather than his do about.

He comes for change,

with an eye of uncommon sense

in a place of horse sense skill.

I turn to the cabin with soft and warm bed

and smells of lilac and musk.

The candle casts a flickering shadow world onto the logs

and we retreat to the comfort of tender flesh

with dreams of rooms to enter,

paths to follow,

with companions of short duration.

Norfolke 2004