Everyday Mystic

 

Taking a hot shower, the miracle of modern-day plumbing,
Coming home, the porch light is already on,
The backyard is the temple, sacred space,
Priestess of pruning, invoking hummingbirds.

Bees and ravens, a choir of leaves whispering,
Dappled sunlight stains the grass,
The clerestory of an open cathedral,
Vision of heaven on earth is here.

Examine roots and bulbs, rose hips and passion vine,
Inviting teachers: cats, beetles, spiders and snakes,
To teach their ways of quiet contentment,
Kneel in the dirt, grit under praying hands.

Pulling out negative thoughts, planting seeds of change,
Finding wisdom in watering, irrigating the soul,
The deep peace of sweeping the deck yet again,
Paying attention to the dusky hues, rising moon.

Planting the future now by enjoying the present moment,
Breathing in the jasmine, both alone and all-one,
Here, grateful for being the creatrix,
Open to the mysteries as the night unfurls.

Moving back inside to simply make soup,
Supping on a blessed life, I break my own bread.

(Excerpt from Laphrodite's Guide to Mindful Menopause or the Adventures of a Baby Crone)

Eight of Pentacles - Owl Magic

Hard at work

In the predawn hours.

Owl keeps her company, 

Adds wisdom to power. 

Takes her time 

Honing her crafts and art. 

Always willing to learn more

Have more love in her heart. 

Pays attention to the details 

Committed to the process. 

Elbow grease and forehead sweat 

Sweet taste of success.

Learning the sacred trades,

The tools in their way 

No longer the apprentice, 

This artist has plenty to say

The rewards of patience, 

Enjoying health and wealth. 

Here is a woman 

Who truly loves herself.

Messages From Sea Glass

Once I met a windswept man,

Who constructed his days, 

Spent his nights in craft,
And the time between, 

Sifting the beaches,
For bits of precious sea glass.

Milky white, palest aqua,
Sea green, 

And cobalt blues,
Burnished browns, 

Occasional reds,
And the rarest of violet hues.

These shards of the past,
Once raw and jagged,
Now polished and refined.
He would make jewelry,
Creating a holder,
A reminder of the divine.

Solidly set in silver,
Skillfully soldered,
Edges worked intaglio -
Stars & moons,
Cut outs to reveal,
The treasured inner glow.

How like our hearts...

What was once a whole vessel,
To whatever elixir -
Ambrosia in the moment.
Containing the promise of eternity,
Infinity in a bottle,
Or so we take for granted.

Suddenly smashed & broken,
Tumbled by turmoil,
Tossed by tides of grief.
Scoured by remorse,
Cleansed of regret,
These fragments of relief.

Shrapnel of the soul,
Now soft, eroded edges,
Worn smooth by patience.
Translucent, transcendent,
A constant reminder:
Time is precious.

Sea glass, see glass,
See through the looking glass...
Salt tears & wisdom know -
Sand once melted,
Sand now scoured,
Even glass will flow.

Milky white, palest aqua,
Sea green baubles, Hung on sterling chains.
Reminding the throat, Reminding the heart,
Cherish each moment that remains.

(Excerpt from Laphrodite's Guide to Mindful Menopause or the Adventures of a Baby Crone)

Vintage

Growing older, more mature, 

I appreciate the finer things in life - 

Grape vines, aged cheese, 

Antique candle holders, broken down barns. 

Savoring the time it takes to craft

Richness of patience paying off.

My plate is less full, 

Bites smaller. 

Life is bursting with zest and vitality, 

Never experienced before all this

Death and decay.

I welcome new flavors and savor familiar delights.

I enjoy sharing the abundance

In the simplest of ways.

(Excerpt from Laphrodite's Guide to Mindful Menopause or the Adventures of a Baby Crone)

Mercury Retrograde

Heart in chest, heavy and weighted

Secrets locked deep, shields up.

Hibernating, stewing in mental juices,

Cauldron of the past percolates memories.

Mercury retrograde,

And to calm my chattering mind,

I recite a litany of lovers,

A rosary of remembrance,

Prayers for the lovers gone by.

Stir, notice what comes up to the surface,

Monkey mind, emotional roller coaster.

Swallow the little things, let them go,

Move on to bigger things, purging the past.

Mercury retrospect,

And to calm my chattering heart,

I recite a litany of lovers,

Beading hopes and beliefs,

Prayers for the lovers yet to be.

Giving permission,

Cultivate lightheartedness,

Allow yourself to laugh with that

Universal trickster, coyote.

Mercury reviewed,

And to calm my chattering soul,

I find the repeated pattern,

In my litany of lovers,

My rosary of remembrance,

The common thread throughout

Is the lover in me.

Witch cackling over bubbles,

Completion of spells.

Casting of doubts...

Transformation has begun.

(Excerpt from Laphrodite's Guide to Mindful Menopause or the Adventures of a Baby Crone)

Priestess

Today’s early morning ritual

I am Raven

burner

of lavender


reader

of the cards

diviner

of the stars


eater

of cold pizza

(Excerpt from Laphrodite's Guide to Mindful Menopause or the Adventures of a Baby Crone)

Vibrissae

 

Vibrissae
A Collection of Cats, Facts, and Whiskers

Inspired by the Santa Cruz Museum of Art And History's exhibit on local collectors, this book was a collaboration between a mother and daughter. Kayla Rose, a crazy cat lady at heart, has collected over a hundred cat whiskers that she found around the house over two decades from a medley of family pets. She wrote the poem to honor all the past, present, and future cats who bring joy into their lives. 

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and Perceptive.

Kayla and Amber Rose are wise in the ways of cats. No subtlety escapes their eyes. Full of humor and insight, this small book reveals much in its short pages. Well worth the time.

Wholeness

 

I am whole unto myself - Shekhinah Mountainwater

No longer 

Putting my eggs 

In one basket 

Let alone many

I am empty

Containing the wholeness

of a life well-lived

No longer shedding my blood

This new moon

Let alone any

I am full

Containing the stories

Of a woman well loved

Spiral in

Spiral out

Mercury Retrograde

I have arrived.
I am here
I have let go of letting go
Let alone any fear


Left it all tidy
Everything in its place
Everything is taken care of
Because I love my space


I have completion
Enjoyed tying up loose ends
Feel the closure
And I welcome in new friends

Chiron Retrograde in Aries

Vibrissae sprouting
From the wound on my scalp
What sense do I make of this?

Aries rules the head
Basil cell carcinoma
Basel basal basil
I type to my friend

Gingerly I touch
Suture tips

At least today
I could wash out
The blood clots

Poppy Medicine

What am I doing on purpose
What am I doing just because
The need to stay active
Balanced by the pause

Staying lucid
In an opiate dream
Poppy comes to me
Bloom, pod, and seed

Black cat
Nestled in my lap
Sweetest companion
Ultimate nap

Bringing relaxation
Ease, a feeling of repose
Where will this bloom seed
Nobody knows

The Beautiful Unknown: Retreat Poems and Prose 2009 - 2020

 

The Beautiful Unknown: Retreat Poems and Prose 2009 - 2020

During this time, our Baby Crone discovers the joy of silence and solitude by taking sojourns along the California coast. These poems, prayers, meditations, and love spells were woven at various silent writer’s retreats, including Mission San Antonio, St. Columba’s Retreat in Point Reyes, and The New Calmodese Hermitage in Big Sur.

Changing Woman: Poems 2007 - 2016

 

Changing Woman: Poems 2007 - 2016

Kayla used to be a priestess of Aphrodite, but she was such a bitch - all those lessons in love, including jealousy, heartache, misery, and despair. Now she is the Priestess of Laphrodite, Goddess of the Belly laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, but as far as Kayla was concerned, it's also the best lube. Reflecting a time of questing and questioning for our Baby Crone, she changes careers, discovers online dating, and fuels her passion for blogging. 

Tendrils of Belief: Poems 1997 - 2006

 

Tendrils of Belief: Poems 1997 - 2006 

Picks up the adventures of our Baby Crone five years after Sappho’s Delights. No longer a maiden, she embraces motherhood, becomes a gay divorce, and moves from retail therapy to hypnotherapy. Spanning almost a decade, here is more scrumptious food for thought, nuggets to savor and relish. Inspired by Adrienne Rich’s, On Lies Secrets, and Silence, these tender tales continue a quest into a deeper knowing of self, family, and community. Prayers, meditations, affirmations, and some lamentations.