Most every work day for more than 11 years, I wrote a love note, poem or other inspirational thought, on a napkin – and tucked it in my husband, Marshal’s, lunch – a ritual of the heart. At the beginning of 2009, Marshal started typing them up. It became OUR ritual of the heart to share the Daily Napkin as a blog. Then, in October 2015, Marshal retired, so the whole dynamic changed. I took several months to re-evaluate and decide what I was going to do. The poetry of the napkin is now joined with my art and/or photography images. May you enjoy them. May they feed your spirit.
Roots Planted
Tenacious as bamboo Resilient and strong He grew where he was planted In the center of his soul On the banks of Life’s flow Inspiration blossoms there Like weeds of truth Beautiful and ungroomed Awaiting his arrangement --------------------------------------- Roots of...
Moon Dance
Peach orb softly smiling Drops the skirt of pine and oak Glides in slow dance Into star-studded velvet ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sometimes the moon Teases my thoughts Awakens memories Of the vastness of Life...
Birth of an Idea
On the cusp of new understanding In the heart of epiphany I felt the pinch of sidelong glances Judgment’s governess askance Like the pressure of birth Squeezing my lungs alive Revelation’s glory comes Screaming life in to the room And grace portends Another gift unto...
Spokes
Like spokes on a wheel We are each integral To the circle of Life Spinning toward our destiny Each adding strength Doing our individual part To keep the wheel round I used to be bent The support of those around me And the force of the spin Have straightened me...
Ride On, Rich!
Cycling across the country the breezes brush my face My feet and the pedals are one man and machine melding with countryside Diligence and dedication strengthen up the hill Freedom and exhilaration melt resolves’ tension gliding down the other side Ah! … I could go...
Seeking
Seeking destiny with spoon and fork Earnest heart nestled in a nest of intertwined arguments Feet planted firmly In a pond of quicksand Promises and hopes following a pinpoint star Brilliant epiphany…
Buzzards Gift
In the middle of the street cars whizzing by yet none rolling over a single feather attempting to take off over and over again with fickle breezes Buzzards forfeit grounded like road kill waving at me as I walked by
Squirrel
Tree shook when squirrel jumped with delight – leaves dancing Community a part of – each involved Morning dove perched lackadaisical nest dropped stems and pieces on geranium’s head and caterpillar nibbling All while squirrel played
The Dancer
As above, so belowConnected to boththe dancer spunmixing the very airblending in her heartthe forces of her lifemundane whipped upby Spirit gracea frothy concoctionever spinningever sublime
Weedroot
Certainly there is hopespringing eternalfrom the well of SpiritA gift unto itselfawaken the thread of ittug on it to discovera weed's rootensconced and bed bythe heart of heartsMy heart is fullI thrive... with hope
The Dance
Heels massaging the face of the Earth as we shuffled around and around Dusty thank yous soaring hearts voices joined like entwined fists Strong statements of love Singing in the sun The world, creation
Beauty
Most all of the time the beauty noticed pierced his toughened armor Allowing the brightness of Love to stir his soul