when cause and effect

when cause and effect
are turned around
the beauty of the snow
is not the snow’s
but beauty born to bloom
in my heart;
when effect is not without me
but lies instead within me,
then my love’s touch
is not her touch
so much as my heart
opening in joy
before her finger tips;
when the way
from here to there
is not there but
here all the way,
then I need not travel
to find my way
and need not strive
to find my lost luggage
for it finds me unerringly;
so it is I see
the constructed life I thought I knew
crumble at my feet
and from its dust
a blossom grows
with white waxy petals
folding outward
from my soul.

--JAH 2/14/06

I'm sorry I broke the law

I'm sorry I broke the law
and flew
I knew
I shouldn't--
only birds fly
not people, but
I forgot the law
and
while I was forgetting
I accidentally flew
to you.

creating a space in our bodies

creating space in our bodies
lengthening from the crown
to the tail
opening to the air
around us
within us
lifting out from packed joints
to float
and fold
lengthen
and twist
laugh
and fly

creating space in our lives
lengthening from the tip of the
morning
to the tail of the night
opening to the stillness waiting
all around us
within us
lifting out from packed schedules
to be
and behold
strengthen
and lift
the laughing light
in your flying eyes

--JAH 7/12/06

the simple quiet within

the simple quiet within
the point of stillness
the center of breath
the space around these words
the place from which the ripples come

when joy shines

when joy shines
in my teacher's eyes
when measured tones
speak the middle way
when softened hands
press down and lift
when sweat drenches my mat
from these words and this path
till we lie like the dead
alive and washed in the peaceful tide
of slow even breaths
then sit
and open our hearts and hands
to greet
and speak, "Namastai,"
radiance from my teacher's brow
washes over me
till my stiff wooden frame
begins to bend and creak
in the heat of that joy
and the steam of that sound
we do not speak

holding the pose

holding the pose
breathing into the strain
seeing the loved one
knowing the plain way
of abandoning the bent thought
to strengthen the bent limb
in the pose of love
that is no pose
at all

On finding a new teacher

when winter seems everywhere
and tiny wavy leaves shoot up
what good can they do
so new
until the warmth of purple
peals forth from
outstretched petals
small and strong
loud and long
till the earth is wet
with water once frozen
now freed
by a bud
of purple persuasion


I wrote this in March after my first class with my teacher Prana.

Introduction

This is a collection of yoga inspired poems. Some are connected to days, some are not.