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Two Poems by Bruce Owens: "A flower", and "I recently traveled across my fingerprint


Pasqueflower

A flower

is its own kingdom, swaying with the wind… hear how it prays, asking for nothing. Yet water from cool springs shoots up its slender stalk like a smile. The flower in its tower of splendor is never lonely. The bees visit all day, gathering grain to pollinate the world with mystery. At night, the petals are small hands that fold in on themselves and dream. This is when the flower grows eyes to see the moon high above sailing with the clouds. This is when the flower forms a mouth that glows with new words never before spoken. This is when the flower talks to other flowers. Their heads leaning together, sharing revelations, as they go over manuscripts by the Master, murmuring over the script that glows inside the dew.

I recently traveled across my fingerprint to the edge of the universe.

I expect no one to understand this. I am not a Smart Phone dream. I am not a digital summation. I walk towards the sea and hear the sound of immensity. I am translated in the moment by waves and stars overhead. I am not your city or your metropolis. The painted dolls of the empire pass by in dark Mercedes and all the glamour light falls on them and then the whisper of youth fades. I am out here walking the beach with moonlight shining on me, listening into the distant bark of seals. Your cities march against themselves. The masquerades are evident. I take off my clothes and wade deep into the tumultuous sea. The clouds pass by the moon and are signature to what is real. No matter your resistance, the undertow of nature has you and there is no insurance policy to protect you. It is more the embracing of creation as it glides you home. No fear in death. Christ is life. It will all be a new beginning that already is....

 

Bruce Owens

Bruce Owens has been writing poetry for 50 years. One of his poems appeared in the Robinson Jeffers Newsletter (No. 93 & 94, Winter & Spring) in tribute to friend, and fellow poet William Everson. He has been a guest lecturer at various colleges in California, lecturing on the nature of the creative process, and he has conducted poetry workshops, mainly with young adults, especially those struggling with various addictions or having come from an abusive household, using poetry as an instrument of discovery for both self, and as an entry into the world around us. His collection of poems: Eddies in the Rush (ISBN 0-971256-0-0 [149 pg.]) was endorsed by C.C. Bailey and poet William Stafford (1914-1993) a "National Book Award recipient." You can learn more about Bruce on his Facebook page here: Bruce Owens Poetry

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