Marie Laveau

I heal my voice
I heal my heart
I speak my truth
First and foremost unto myself
I sing the words
of Afia Walkingtree:

I am Alive
I am Beautiful
I can do anything
I put my heart and love in to...

Marie Laveau
Queen of Voodoo
Lives in my helpful people corner

I honor her with
Two black feathers
For the Raven’s nest in the east
Red and pink candles
For Romance and Passion in the south
Two white cowrie shells
For Yoni love in the West
A black velvet pouch
filled with love herbs in the North

I cut the red tape
And write my respectful request
On a parchment scroll
Pay with blessed money
And seal the spell with wax

As Venus goes direct
This is the center
As above, so below

She smiles at me, arms crossed
Chanticleer and red medicine pouch
Papa Legba and Zombi the snake
Gentle Jesus and Fierce Gabriel
The magic of New Orleans
Mother, Healer, Priestess, Consoler, Counselor
Your legacy lives on...

June 2004

All is Well

I am here

from your future

to tell you:

You survived this.

All is well.

I love you.

You made the right decisions.

Validation

Everyday I know
I am okay
because I get
Instant Approval
from the
Visa/Mastercard machine

Equinox 2004

Your reputation

Your reputation
always exceeds you, today's
fortune cookie says

Moth to the Flame

How glorious it feels
Moth to the flame
Only to have
My wings burned again

Trust Walk

Last night I sat on my rooftop
watching the silvery moon casting shadows
in the garden below~

I wonder who you are~
what are you doing right now~
do you see the same moon that I do?
Do you make the same wishes that I do?

I am seeking you, yet sitting still.
I'm waiting for you, but active in my steps.
Trust walk through the labyrinth~

I know you're just around the next bend~
I just don't know when this corridor will end.

Stronger than Before

Broke my arm
Broke my heart
On the mend
On the mend

Broke my arm
Broke my heart
Heal and mend
Heal and mend

Healed my arm
Healed my heart
Stronger than before
Stronger than before

Strong arms
Strong heart
Stronger than before
Stronger than before

kgr 2005

At Fruit

Last night as I danced
Swaying with the guitar
Pulsing with the horns
I crossed my arms
Over my belly
And thought of you
While my fingers tapped
My hipbones

kgr, Equinox 2004

Reading your Chart

It was midnight
By the time we reached the 12th house
And that’s when
The truth spilled out

There in
The witching hour
That’s when I watched you
Regain your power

kgr, October 2003

Lake Aquadyke

Another Santa Cruz Moment

As I cried in your car
A random woman’s conversation floated in
“When will you realize you're adequate?”

And I thought, today
I am not just adequate
I am an aqueduct...

I outflow with plenty
to generate new channels
of energy

kgr, October 2003

A Little Sweetness

Today

Somebody told me I was precious
Somebody gave me a strawberry
Somebody kissed my third eye

Today
I enjoyed a little sweetness
And remembered
My worth

The Blogging Blues

Woke up this morning
With nothing to say
Woke up feelin empty
Nothing to post today
Woke up wondering
What am I to do?
Woke up this morning with
A bad case of the
The blogging blues...

Have nothing to comment
Not even a reply
Nothing to say
To that polyamourous guy
Have no pics to upload
Not even a quote or two
Woke up this morning with
A bad case of the
The blogging blues...

Nothing to google
What can I say?
Even my new jokes
Seem so rusty today
The truth is that nothing
Has seemed just right
Since you left my blog
Since you left my site
Can’t think of a limerick
Or even a haiku
Woke up this morning with
A bad case of the
The blogging blues...

Saw I had a new watcher
Found it hard to care
Cuz it’s not your hairy eyeball
Giving me the stare
Someone signed my guest book
But I just want to link to you
Woke up this morning with
A bad case of the
The blogging blues...

kgr 2008

A Few Haikus

The grass is greener
in both the verdant future
and the past meadow.

In the pointing out
of the obvious, one's own
self doubts are revealed.

Listening to you
all I keep coming back to
I'm simply complex.

Recycled Valentine

Valentine for Romeo

It was a Sunday afternoon
After we had just first kissed
I felt that I could name
What is was that I missed
But still I felt afraid, I felt confused
Although that’s when I first knew
That I loved you

It was a moonlit night
And you were fast asleep
I reached to touch your lashes
My fingers brushed your cheek
I hoped that in your dreams
You could somehow hear
The words I longed to say
As I whispered in your ear
That I loved you

It was a bright October day
As we cruised along the coastline
Sitting on the back of your bike
I was feeling just fine
My hands were warm in your pockets
I was feeling quite proud
The roar of the wind made it safe
For me to practice saying out loud
That I loved you

Your smile lit up my world
But for so long I felt broken inside
I didn't know what to believe
I felt scared, I felt shy
But you touched me so tender and deep
I thought about you night and day
I felt a return of happiness and
I wanted to tell you in a thousand ways
That I loved you

You held me all through the night
You kissed away my tears
Your kindness gave me courage
Your patience dispels ,my fears
Now all I want to do, all I want to say
Is to hold you close each 7 every day
And to tell you in a voice loud and true
I love you, I love you
I love you...

February 1998

Prayer to Pluto

Dear Hades
Work for me now
I have spent nine long months
Descending into your realms
All has been transformed
I have danced with death
Again and again

My lovership died, my passion and companion
My friendships died, leaving me wide open and alone
My garden died, leaving me barren in places
My cat died, by my own two hands
My business died, and I still need to support myself...

Dear Hades
Work for me now
As you turn stationary direct
Let me ascend as Innana, Persephone
Let me be reborn
As I acknowledge your lessons
Again and again

My lover ignored me, and I was drowning in misery
My friends used me to perpetuate their addictions
My garden was riddled with termites and disease
My cat was sick and suffering from old age
My business was spiraling me deeper into debt

Dear Hades
Work for me now
I am no longer afraid
I have been stripped bare
I embrace my shadow
And find myself the virgin
Whole and complete
Again and again

I am my lover, my passion and companion
I am my friend, I bring out the best in me
I am my garden, mature and wise in my cycles
I am my cat, independent, loyal and playful
I am my business, loving and supporting my family

Dear Hades
Thank you for these lessons learned
I will apply them diligently
I will work with you now
No longer resisting your power
Or denying mine
I am phoenix from the flame
Again and again

New lover, come to me, passion and companion
New friends, come to me, let me share wide open and together
New seeds, come to me, fill my garden with abundance
New animal guide, come to me, feel the love of my two hands
New career, come to me, as I support my self and thrive

Dear Hades
Thank you for abducting me
Stripping me of my crown, my jewels
I stand naked
Knowing who I am
Again and again

I am dragon, I am rebel, I am grace of the swan
I am the wise crone and healing Chiron combined
I am my own garden of earthy delights
I am Aphrodite, Artemis and Amaterasu
I am Bast and Uzume, and I thank you

Thank you Hades
For Changing me
Into me...

Bag Lady

Here I am
With all my baggage
Here I am
Take me as I am

Here I am
With all my emotional baggage
Here I am
With all of my burdens

Here I am
Complete with all my luggage
Packed with the past
Bursting with stories

Take me as I am
This is how I come, complete
With all my crap, all my stuff
This is what I come with

But I’ve got a grip
Yeah, I’ve got a handle on things
And anything I can’t carry
I just let go
I just let slip

Here I am, with all my baggage
To get me through my trips
Yeah, guilt trips power trips ego trips
I might have a lot of baggage
But at least I’ve got a grip

In my left hand is my heart
Full of sorrow from betrayal
In my right hand is my head
Full of doubts and regrets
And on my back is my burden
Weighing me down with my fears
And in my arms is my child
And a frying pan, and a pen
And in my head is the world
And war and global warming
And in my mind
Is everything I’ve ever done wrong
And in my soul
I struggle to find my song...

But deep down in my front pocket
I’ve got this little zipped up purse
Full of change...

Change of mind
Change of heart
Change of attitude
Change of underwear
Change is my friend, yeah

And it might seem to you
That I have a lot of baggage
But I’ve got a handle on it
Yeah, I’ve got a grip
And anything I can’t hold on to
I just let go,
I just let slip

And now I don't expect you
To take on my baggage
No, I just want you
To pick up your own
Get a handle on it, get a grip

While we walk on this road
While we travel together
Or else we let go
We just let slip

Take me as I am
Even with all my baggage
Take me as I am
Because I’m a package deal...

Sustainable Energy

I was cold
Someone handed me a sparkler
I was bedazzled
Until it fizzled
I long for
your hearth.

I'm a Strong Woman, I'm Stronger Than You Think

I'm a strong woman, I'm stronger than you think
I'm a strong woman, I follow my instincts
I can drive across the country in my little car
I can drive a big ol' truck easily just as far

I'm a strong woman, I know my self worth
I'm a strong woman, I can love the earth
I can look the sun straight in the eye
But I'm not so stupid I'd actually try

I'm a strong woman, I can sing out of tune
I'm a strong woman, but still sleep till noon
I can walk 17 miles just like it was one
I can love my woman and make her come

I'm a strong woman, I can laugh at the sky
I'm a strong woman, I'm not ashamed to cry
I can hold my woman, I can hold my drink
Just remember, I'm a stronger than you think.

(written in 1990)

Bitter, me?

Bitter, me?
Oh yes, one of my five tastes
Sweet, savory, salty, pungent
and then there's bitter...

My bitterness is not
Organic, green, dandelion leaves or ginger
Hot, cold, Swedish or otherwise
A tonic

My bitterness is not
Organic, shade grown, black tea or coffee
Hot, cold, Italian or otherwise
An amphetamine

My bitterness is
Organic, intense, dark, the heart of the cocoa bean
Pure, chocolate, sweetened with cream and always
An aphrodisiac...

Bring Back my Smiley to Me

You might not be sure what I'm saying
You might not be sure what to think
Am I raising an eyebrow
Or trying to show you a wink?

Bring back, bring back
Bring back my Smiley to me, to me
Bring back, bring back
Bring back my Smiley to me

You might not see me blushing
Or even my face in a frown
Maybe I’m blowing kisses
Who knows, my menu is down

Bring back, bring back...

Last night as I lay on my pillow
Last night as I lay on my bed
Last night as I lay on my pillow
I dreamed that my Smiley was dead

Bring back, bring back...

I sent a message to tech support
I emailed them my plea
Help me with my emoticons
And bring back my Smiley to me

Bring back, bring back...

I miss rolling in laughter
Sticking my tongue out in glee
Winking right back at you
Please bring back my Smileys to me!

Bring back, bring back
Bring back my Smiley to me, to me
Bring back, bring back
Bring back my Smiley to me!