NOTHING AT ALL by Maggie Rowe

inspired by German words waldensemkeit and torchlusspanik

He throws open a window somewhere
They say, after closing a door
Not true.
After He closes the door, He leans his Almighty weight against it
And when He shuts those Heavenly gates on that far off but quite near day
When Mercy strains and quits its pretty act
That whole dropping like some gentle rain in spring thing

When He looks at the books
Checks His notes and parts the sheep from the goats
When the game is up, the race is run
When all is said is done
That moment when before the heavenly host He gives up the Holy Ghost
When He says Depart from Me and Go
Go.
Go.
Go.
and pretends as I were just somebody He used to know

Those gates are closed forever.

Fear the Lord Your God.

Got it.

But once, on a lazy day
Wandering alone in the forest
Time spooled and pooled
spread with enough thread for a thousand dresses
Light dropped through the trees
I peeked through a window of leaves
and wondered if maybe
I’ve got nothing at all

a japanese view of love by Emily John Garces

Inspired by the Japanese word wabi-sabi (episode two)

love is the cold kiss of the air
is the morning sun
and hearing the birds singing
though the night has been long

love is the yellow optimism of a dandelion
being cut back but coming up strong
staring unblinking into the eternal face
of its own clock

love is watching the birds on the lake building nests
carrying sticks over the shadow of the great fish
that waits for the splash of tiny feet

love is watching the worlds through a window
with so stained glass
mesmerized by the wabi sabi fact
that perfection is a beautiful illusion
and nothing is meant to last