Author Archives: Wendy

Learning Trust

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to Love:

You told me how you’re learning
in measured, clear-eyed steps
how to walk the balance beam of trust —
To walk, real, in your love and still stay safe.
And when a trust was breached at night
You took yourself in hand
You said to yourself, “wait, how am I safe?”
and let the answer rise up from within:
“I’m here, and there are locks on all the doors
And we were not in any danger, even then
He was a human, even when intruding
and so was bound by countless human norms
the ones that keep us safe among each other
He didn’t try to do us any harm.
“But furthermore,” you said, “I’m always safe
because I’m Spirit, and Spirit never dies.”
I saw the calming truth of that 
Shine, certain, from your eyes
— one more example of your practice 
of this crucial art
Thank you for the courage of your open heart.


©Wendy Mulhern
October 18, 2011



Inner Strength

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It’s hardly morning yet, but you wake up
to consciousness fast chased by overcast —
the inner stories laying out your challenges,
your pain, and how you’ll never be enough . . . 
As you pause to try and summon inner strength
consider this:
Beneath the weight of all the stories
What woke this morning is the spark of you
which rises like a giant
throwing off those stagnant lies
like blankets
or cracking through their concrete 
like a swelling seed
sending streams of strength
through your limbs and loins
a steady rushing brightness
that must change you from inside
until you own your inner strength 
and so abide.


©Wendy Mulhern
October 17, 2011



More

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I am eager
even impatient
Is it appropriate
that one so seasoned
as years would peg me
should want so much
keep wanting more
to find the sip, instead of satiating

rouses thirst from deep within my core?
It doesn’t matter
I will not be staid
I can’t suppress myself
I will not be downplayed
I run each day
to scan for germination
peeking green between the clods
I know it doesn’t work to pull the seeds up
but I urge them, nudge them with my thoughts
I’ll call it revolution
in which we’re all involved
I’ll seek a steady motion
that need not be resolved
I’ll polish my intention
and keep on planting seeds
till the harvest is sufficient
to satisfy these needs.

©Wendy Mulhern

October 16, 2011

(Background music: Isaac Shepard, “Struggles”)



manifesto

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We’ve been trained
these many years
not to ask for much —
That we don’t deserve —
That we have no right to expect
daily abundance and joy
That to receive it
we must earn it
through great toil and sacrifice

Worse than that
we’re taught that it’s OK
to wish to have, to win
to rape, to dominate
to blindly flail, mindlessly mouth
the words of hate
That if we strive to beat each other
we’ll be great

So it is
that the first revolution
is within
To see we have the right
to be at peace
to have a world designed to bless
where each of us can know 
that we deserve
to have our lives be cherished 
    recognized as gifts
not weighed for what they pay 
    and then perhaps begrudgingly allowed

And as we give this to each other
we will learn
how it is done
how we can sculpt a greater vision
so we know what’s to be won
and then we’ll march unhesitating
shining whole before we’re through
for the sake of billions waiting
standing strong because we’re true.


©Wendy Mulhern
October 15, 2011



The People’s Mic

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The people’s mic
moves in waves
and all who touch the words
are touched:
As they repeat
the voice comes from within
and so becomes their own
It shines with their own truth
Gains strength
like rolling surf
that crests and crests
They find that they are one
The people
and they know
that this is real
No further lies
will ever steal this moment
when the wave of oneness
crashes inside and resounds
bounding and echoing from Wall Street to here
waking us up.


©Wendy Mulhern
October 14, 2011


Invitation

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To all of you
yearning toward the core
longing for the centripetal clasp
that will let you spin
in ecstasy of connection
Feel our pull
Gravitate
Join the force that overrides
isolation’s stagnant stasis
No need to tell yourself
you haven’t been invited
Your own gravity
qualifies you
You, too, can bring your life force
into the circle
You, too
can swirl into the dance.


©Wendy Mulhern
October 12, 2011



Your spirit wins

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When there is no way to win
and your spirit throws itself down
one or more of many thwarted paths
the failure says, you’re wrong
your choice is bad
your blighted life
is all your fault
though you may flail
and cry out, crazed, for justice,
the censure drowns your voice.

When there is no way to win
in this world
your spirit still forges itself
a rare and brilliant thing
unseen by all the dust its rays illumine
unnoticed in the thrust of days’ relentless gloom
till love’s ablutions wash it clean
and there it shines
a light that overcomes the world.


©Wendy Mulhern
October 11, 2011



Emissary

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I sat with you on the couch
your legs across my lap
me hugging them
willing my touch to span
the space between
my hope and your dread
to flock like emissary birds
to flutter by your head
and brush you with their wings 
and softly coo
awaken all your inner angels
so they stand in force and tell you
you are not alone
you are not fallen
you are as strong as a brass horn
that chortles in the morning air
and summons great guffaws of joyous confidence
from wells in you
deeper than you ever knew were there.


©Wendy Mulhern
October 10, 2011



This, My Mission

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Mission is a strong elixir
Gulped with joy, its heady mixture
sends me flying, full of hope
excited by its mighty scope

Deep as my desire, this mission
now ingested, licks within
impelling flames to move me, quicken
my intent to realize its vision

So I burn, and so I ask for water
something calming, nurturing and cool
provision for the now, but also after –
to let the mission hum and purr
but not consume –
Within the chambers of the fire
I seek a quiet room

Take off your shoes
it tells me
Feel the ground
It’s nothing that you have to do alone
You have the chorus of the wind within
which, holy, holds you cool
and keeps you sound.


©Wendy Mulhern
October 9, 2011


Hearts’ Doors

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For Susie, Carol, and Love

Each of these openings
Leads to infinity
Each of these gifts
Is enough
To knit together the world
Each of these women
Has a heart
That includes the sun
So will we shine
So, simply, tone the world whole
And as for us?
Well, of course
We’ll be included
Each of us
In the hug for us alone
We each so need.


©Wendy Mulhern
October 8, 2011