Language

I am blissfully productive this week.  I am juggling multiple clients with my business, experiencing great joy with a family visit, and still being a father ever-present with my daughter when she comes to me.

This is a perfect time for me to practice consciousness.  It would be easy to start talking about how busy I am - but that would be counter-creative to my vision. It is one thing to establish what you want, and quite another to then undermine this by letting life take you over, and your thoughts think you.  And if your thoughts are chaotically undermining your vision then just imagine what happens to your words and body language?

With that in mind I was grateful for class last night.  It was a treasure to be there.  Before the class I was very, very tired.  I was offered the option of not going.  I was very glad I did.  My response was that God doesn't get tired and that I've committed to service.

And suddenly I started to come through my tiredness.  How we think and speak during times that would overtake us is critical.  At class I was humbled and honoured to support another with treatment.  I was mezmerized by the synchronicity of events between us. 

Language
Discover another language,
enlarge capacity.
Words of empowerment,
support the light you might be.

Focus on the growth,
through death's opportunity.
Vocabulary of Light,
enlightened and free.

Here to learn the lesson,
accepting powerful proof.
Loosening distinction of
separated words, to Truth.

Copyright 2009 (c), Carmien Owen

Perception

I heard a saying today that really resonated for me.  "Whenever I heal my perception I give birth to freedom and meaning."  As you likely know life has a way of putting events in front of you designed for your growth.  I was speaking with a very close and dear friend about the past.  The conversation arrived at the concept of narcissistic behaviour, and the ensuing question as to whether I was also narcissistic floored me.

Once I had moved past the reaction I realized that this friend had known both the worst and best of me.  Their perception of me was as much in this moment as it was of a 10 year old boy that had difficulty trusting and loving himself, let alone focusing on others.  But more interestingly still was the inner emotional reaction the question had evoked.  I felt dread at the idea of being narcissistic.  As the feeling subsided and I found my centre I realized that there was some perception for me to heal, and reminded that the real work is within.

As a part of processing this event and emotions I wrote the following poem.  As I look forward I am certain of this - I pledge this life of mine to the service of others.  Whether as a poet expressing contemplation and vision, a Practitioner offering support and prayer, or a journeying soul learning how to balance passion with humility, my vision is clear.  And perhaps this dedication of mine is a reaction to the old me, the Carmien that would have put self-concern before others?  If that is the case, then I celebrate the question that was asked.  If nothing else, today I was reminded of how the perceptions that really matter are those you have of yourself.

Perception
Why be some-one when,
One could be all that you are?
Give birth to freedom and meaning,
as you heal perception and scar.

Let your mind transcend limitation,
be more than you'd dreamed you'd be.
Constantly absorb and share,
unconstrained by things and free.

In truth these words bring no meaning.
Without soul they are but a scratch.
It's the consciousness beneath these words,
that unlocks meaning of life from latch.

Let the motion of love surround you.
Know what you need to forgive.
Be clear on what you want.
Know how to let go and to live.

Express your Divine and true nature,
in a new and wonderful way.
Don't believe everything that you think.
Live in the bliss and the joy of this day.

Believe in yourself and the All,
that One that I know you to be.
Find others to believe in you too,
let symptom be learning, not plea.

All that is left for condition,
and how it is seen from within,
is devotion to all, soul and being,
to faith, hope and love herein.

Copyright (c) 2009, Carmien Owen

Cosmic Light

I've had the pleasure of my foster mother visiting me from England.  As a result, I've not had as much time as I usually do to write. 

Molly was a light in the darkness of my earliest years.  Her spending time with me here in Canada is a wonderful experience, not least of which because I can share with her the intimacy of who and what I am becoming now.  This is a beautiful thing, and the moments we are sharing are lighting up my soul.

Cosmic Light
See the Cosmic Light.
Descended illumination.
Paths afire, bridges lit.
Mystical sensation.

Mystics have sensed this Light,
Yet we can see it too.
A light about everything,
illuminated true.

Cosmic Light comes not,
with effort to observe.
The kingdom is within,
enlightened as you serve.

Once you've seen Cosmic Light,
you'll never be the same.
There will be added serenity,
a graceful, certain flame.

Sense of calm and joyfulness,
from knowing and vitality.
Exuding to all, all about,
regardless of theology.

Whether in meditation or prayer,
intense communion will,
shine a new sweetness,
in your soul, light instill.

Copyright (c) 2009, Carmien Owen

Past, Future, Present

During class tonight we were guided through a Jean Huston exercise for contemplating time. The focus was to consider time past, present and future from different perspectives, and to try and look at each aspects of time in different ways. In one part we were asked to let time past dominate our thinking and to look about us.


The following poem came to mind for me. It describes what came to mind for me as I let past, future and present dominate my thinking.

Past, Future, Present
Time past consumed by shadows,
from play and innocent games,
to future beckoning me,
inner anger rarely tamed.

Splinters of hinted Divinity,
suspecting love cast within.
Yet enamoured of reflections,
acquiring trinkets and things.

The future is fading present.
Vision brightly dissolved.
Enlightened grace a beacon,
outstretched hand never old.

No particular idea,
agenda, schedule or plan.
The present is the future,
blurred thought, word and hand.

Faith consumed by knowing,
surrendered to tranquil grace.
Heart giving, bestowing,
joy lived in every space.

Stillness I am now.
Breath in between the breeze.
Rustling of unfurling petals,
captivated and seized.

Beholden to inner yearning,
enlightened by humility.
Centred by my mindful learning,
delighted to simply be.

Copyright (c) 2009, Carmien Owen

From Belief to Be-Life

The idea of transformation and helping others to live life is a calling I’ve been drawn to in the past. That said in recent weeks I've been thinking more about this idea. I believe that I’ve shifted: It might sound very noble to help others, but I think I’ve come to a realization. Regardless of intent before I can ever hope to help others the reality is I have to learn about my own willingness to live life, to be life - I have go through transformation.

Perhaps ideas and attachments I have will have to die? Maybe I will spend the rest of my life going through cycles of release and growth, death and re-birth? I take solace in this; if I am open to change, growth and release, I am living life, perhaps even being life.

As a part of some self-enquiry I found myself staring at the word 'belief' and realizing that it seemed so similar to be-life. How subtle the shift from belief to being life, and yet how profound. As someone once said, the river of life may only be a quarter inch wide, but it is miles deep.

From Belief to Be-Life
From belief to be-life,
is as far as desire,
to transform yourself,
to be seen in your fire.

If you're working for success,
yet your heart isn't sure,
if you're not feeling any better,
what is there in more?

To be-life is not about,
books, words, or riches,
Sit still in silence,
live in peace, not in stitches.

To be-life is to go deeper,
into existence and allow.
To what degree can you lose fear,
give of yourself and endow?

How big is your God?
Are you great, or not so good?
How are you living your life?
In love, or fear and should?

To be-life is to release worry,
to journey with love and being,
to part ways with old friends,
doubt, anxiety, disagreeing.

To be-life is to accept,
yourself, right where you are.
As you get closer to putting down,
you may feel grief, pull of heart.

You may dally, stop and start,
or analyze, dig deep to cause.
Yet for all of your wandering,
there will never peace in more.

To be-life is to centre,
to be present, alive and whole,
to follow feeling to openness,
to connect, mingle with soul.

Suffering's created by clinging.
Go through, let work convert.
Give yourself to something bigger,
Be-life, declare victory, not hurt.

Copyright (c) 2009, Carmien Owen

What If (Part 2)

The poem 'What If' is finished now and I would like to share a few more verses. There are more to come but I like to believe that I do not overly abuse the Blogging ideal with bloated posts.

Behind this poem lay a number of ideas. Ideals, faith, and the asking of the question 'What if...' is a powerful way to live. I try to avoid making statements, and strive to ask questions. Questions when asked from a place of grace are a beautiful way to explore the world. Like a blind person using their cane to feel their way around, people are rarely offended when they are gently tapped. And a question posed in grace knows that the leg is there before the cane even moves.

What If (Part 2)
What if knowing Source within,
is right hand to love for all?
Then surely we can know
flaws are intended call?

What if the eyes of grace,
withhold judgment from sight?
How worthy are aspersions,
on religion’s sordid blights?

What if love is beyond,
perceptions, good and bad?
What if events of death, are
learning to be had?

What if Source is truly all,
expect perhaps in our choice?
What if we chose Divine filter,
for our eyes, and rejoiced?

What if we were blind to judgment,
saw simple before perceived?
Would we not lose complication,
drawn within to achieve?

What if our introspection,
could be peaceful place?
Would our inward glance,
learn from acceptance and grace?

What if Divine refuses nothing,
and wants only our return,
with the benefit of experience,
and all that we’ve learned?

... to be continued.
Copyright (c) 2009, Carmien Owen

What If (Part 1)

I have spent the past couple of days travelling for business.  When I travel I find that I have lots of time to contemplate, meditate and to write. During the flight home I saw the movie Angels & Demons.  I am not about to offer a review but one line at the end got me to thinking.  The scene involves John Langdon and a Cardinal.  They are discussing events and the story is wrapping up.  The line that jumped out at me was:
"Religion is flawed because man is flawed."

As I considered these words my mind was drawn back to a poem I shared a few days ago called the Art of Religion.  When I was writing that poem I will confess that in my mind I was attempting to speak about interpretation of spiritual ideas and how consciousness has played itself out through extreme events in the name of religion through the years.

In my mind though I realized that I had missed something important with the Art of Religion.  Everything we experience is in God.  And if God is in everything then the flaws of religion, and man, are exactly as they should be.  Following loss and death comes detachment and rebirth.  These opposite ideas are not solitary - they are symbiotic.  Change forces us to grow, just as death calls us to be reborn in a way that brings us closer to who we truly are, not who ourselves would have us be.

I would like to share the first few verses of a poem I am writing around this idea.  It is not finished and is already 17 verses long.  But the first verses are ready for sharing.  Enjoy.

What If (Part 1)

What if religion is flawed,
because man is flawed in kind?
What if death and rebirth,
is the phoenix of our mind?

What if such revelation,
is but one step to tread,
a perspective without grace, that
would surely leave us for dead?

What if the venture to faith,
is what we discover within?
Would not flawed organization's
be tempting illusionary sin?

What if how we face,
our temples, shadows and church,
helps define our connection, and
limits the depth of our search?

What if the cycles of religion,
are as necessary as event,
a chance to unfold through wisdom,
before these footsteps are spent?

...to be continued.

Copyright (c) 2009, Carmien Owen

Lightbulb

This morning as I was preparing for what may well be the most important business meeting to date for my business tomorrow, with the biggest client I may ever have (a global car manufacturing company with 100,000s of employees), an affirmation arrived in my email inbox:

Today I initiate actions that expand my impact. I am a change agent in my world. I make a difference.

I didn't consciously ask for a sign. But, as I think about it, I have been dealing with a number of thoughts that have jumped into my head. You might recognize them; the 'whatifs'. The analyst in me loves the whatifs. The analyst in me is very good at raising the whatifs.

What lit the moment for me was the awareness of both the statement and the timing. I count myself blessed to have the awareness, and humbled in the synchronicity that someone would pen such a perfect affirmation, dated on the perfect date.

And in that moment of grace I stepped away from the computer and picked up an idea I had a few weeks ago for a poem. This poem is about knowing that there will always be the energy you need, and that facing the shadows of ego's struggle in grace is what we need to do if we are to grow.

Lightbulb

Source provides electricity,
for life's lightbulb that shines,
but darkened stages have taught me,
brightest candescence follows decline.

It's not that the bulb isn't able,
to pierce any shadow or gloom,
but that we misuse our radiance,
in bringing order to the room.

Life's spectacular burn-outs,
force us into the dark.
To face shadow's deep enrichment,
experience augmenting the spark.

There'll always be bulbs aplenty,
infinitely lit through intent.
Don't be distracted by theatre,
or illusion that light could be spent.

Today is the time to flip
the switch and expand your glow,
to perceive the stage, and the players,
the stories, the plot and the show.

Copyright (c) 2009, Carmien Owen

May I

I got to thinking about the work that I've done in the part, about the death and the rebirth, about the suffering I've had.  All of this has been to bring me here and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Yet much of this conversation has been at an intellectual level.  My earliest memory of walking in on my father shooting heroin was covered in a fog.  Yet as I truly process this, on the emotional level of my heart, I begin to sense that he was descending into his underworld.  I've come to understand the choices he made were a reflection of my mothers.  He opted to let her leave with me because her mothering instinct was more powerful than staying with him and his heroin addiction.  But she was far from done with her descent.  I think that in many ways she was lost until her final days.

I got to thinking today about the abuse of my childhood, of how her being lost in the depths and darkness of her life, led to an environment of anger, fights and lovelessness.  I also realized that I saw her the summer before she passed away.  I realized she always wanted me to make the choices she was never able to.  She wanted me to be good, to serve, to love and be loved.  She wanted the best for me, partly as my mother, but also because a part of her wanted to live her good through me.  In that final visit, with my wife, I think she finally saw that I had come through my own death (another story) and could be done.  Perhaps that's why after many years of telling me she was dying to bring me back to England that she finally chose to spend 3 months actually dying in the hospital without telling me.  She was finally able to rest and tend to her own healing.  The Being in me loves her for that.  The self in me sheds tears.

May I


It’s not that I’ll never suffer,
but may I see sacred as I do.
It’s not that I’ll never be shouted at,
but may I be centred in Truth.

I’m certain that I’ll be criticized,
that many will disagree.
Pleasing others must be pointless.
May I be blessed and humbly me.

It’s possible I may be abused,
that life may hit me hard.
That somewhere beneath this surface,
this life may tear me apart.

My heart may be shattered and broken,
through loss, change and pain.
May the movement of God change everything.
May I never look outside to blame.

May I always see the world,
all people, events and loss,
as choices reflected through Source,
only here is there truly a cost.

May my ego break open to soul.
May my Truth mingle with yours.
May I shift to soul’s point of view.
May I know my true self in my thoughts.

Copyright (c) 2009, Carmien Owen

Fearlessness

One of the greatest lessons during my life has been anger. My earliest years as a child were peppered with abuse, shouting, fighting, aggression, and alcohol-fuelled knife wielding by parent figures.

In turn I learned how to be angry, how to express my anger, and how to let my frustration at that which did not resonate with my inner yearning to come through me as a growl or a shout. I would escalate my anger, to the point of tears and a gut-wrenching swell.

In time I came to discover that this anger was a symptom that followed when I felt helplessness or fear. As I looked back to my childhood I started to realize that I must have felt very helpless, and filled with fear as those that I should have been able to love lived through their anger.

Through the realization of helplessness come another: In forgiving myself, and those who contributed to this lesson, I have found a gift. In finding peace I have found a gentleness and calmness. And in slowing down to understand this lesson I have discovered a fearlessness. This poem is a reflection of my journey, of how I had to lose myself in my doubt, and be stirred by awe to shed the first tears of healing.  Only in finding tenderness have I been able to discover fearlessness.

Fearlessness

There is no dry land,
amid the ocean that you chart.
Your wind is your fearlessness,
and it blows from your heart.

The course to your freedom,
is beyond waves of concern,
through storms of restless anxiety,
slow, find that which you yearn.

Drop anchor, relax with your fear.
Drive into moments of doubt.
Let wonder evoke that first tear,
and tender child within swim out.

Real fearlessness comes from within,
product of tenderness and awe.
Feel the ocean woo the drop,
and never have need of the shore.

Copyright (c) 2009, Carmien Owen

The Art of Religion

This past Tuesday marked a return to Practitioner training, and it was great to see everyone again. As ever the discussion was lively and interesting. We've started to look at world religions and I am revelling in what there is to learn.

I had begun a poem in class and last night, after a very productive day, had set the intent to sit down. But after a while of searching I realized that the subject I had chosen and the resulting verses were not sitting right for me. I put down my pencil and undertook some self-enquiry. One realization was that I was trying to force a poem because I had not written one since Monday.  For someone used to writing a poem every day or so that seemed wrong.

"Ah ha", I thought. "That is hardly a basis of grace!" Fortunately, I did not need to answer myself. I simply put the poem down, unfinished, and released attachment.

And in release I opened the way for another poem to write itself through me. This poem was stirred as I read about the goals of various religions, and how extreme minorities have represented such goals to the world over many years.

The Art of Religion

The irony of necessity,
experienced bloody hand.
The art of religion,
ego taking stand.

A cocktail of humanity,
part ego, divine, perception.
Non-mystics teaching seekers.
Is control meted exception?

Perception adds complexity,
to relationship with Source.
Intimate experience,
art not to be forced.

Yet structure loses message,
guiding through complexity.
Bewildering world peace,
brotherhood perplexity.

Obfuscated messages,
of killing, and stealing.
Radicalized affront,
antithesis revealing.

But how to throw a rope,
without ego driving cast?
We share the destination,
and lessons of our past.

Others are not wrong,
the answer is within.
Through eyes of gift and love,
can we can see that we're akin.

Let seekers be inspired,
to discover for themselves,
that no other has all answers,
for the Being self has veiled.

Find your own brush or pen,
or chisel as you must.
For the art of religion,
is a masterpiece of trust.

(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen

Calling

Through the process of posting my poetry online I’ve been able to give the gift of sharing these words, and in turn receive the gift of comments and feedback directly from those reading the poems I write. One particular exchange inspired the following poem.


Calling

It’s time to seek nirvana,
enough is enough, I say.
Whether Samadhi, Divine, or Atma,
no greater time than today.

See that which is within you.
Be blind to all unknown.
Or you can accept your ignorance,
let integration be your zone.

It’s a calling of my life now,
to live quest for clarity.
These words, they surely write me,
point to Unity.

I wear the robes of a guide,
one of many that do on this earth.
Coming down from the garden,
aiding others in rebirth.

As these images linger,
they provide acceleration,
amplify your awareness,
through your contemplation.

We ‘all’ have gifts and talents.
A calling is when we’re drawn,
to share for the sake of giving,
because we love to adorn.

Dissolve to your calling and giving,
Let Infinity become your point.
Succumb to calling through love,
incorporate and anoint.
 
(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen

Presence In All (a Spiritual Mind Poem)

Of the callings I have there are two that stand out for this poem: I love to write poetry from a metaphysical perspective, and I'm training to be a spiritual coach, or Practitioner. Then an idea came to me: Why not try and write a spiritual mind treatment, or affirmative prayer, as a poem in my particular poetic style?


Two days after this idea I opened the binder for term 3 of Professional Practitioner training. For the first week's written homework we are asked to write and use a Spiritual Mind Treatment to see the presence of God in all people and all religions.

Presence in All
With One Divine Mind,
in through, and as all,
I celebrate this Unity,
expressed in joyous thrall.

I now fall back to simple,
my sight sees all the way.
Eternal values in statement,
scripture's story purveyed.

I know religion and faith and Truth,
are One, as are all people.
Presence from beneath the ground,
and beyond the highest steeple.

Regardless of creed or belief,
the spiritual certain to evolve,
experience always a new thing,
and religion's history dissolves.

I see the presence of Source,
in all religions and ideals,
the glory of virtuous circles,
through knowledge and journey revealed.

In grateful knowing I detach.
I now set the Law into motion.
I release and know it was so,
before I even conceived of this notion.

And so it is!

(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen

Fierce Grace

At service today our beloved Reverend, Patrick Cameron shared a story of his visit to his family, in Minneapolis.  It's been about 4 years since he was last there and he had the opportunity to visit his eldest sister.  Born into a family of 13 children Patrick was, in many ways, raised by his eldest sister.  And now he was returning to the place of his birth to visit with a sister who had suffered a series of strokes that had, in effect, broken her body.

However, as he looked into her eyes he could see a 35 year old woman trapped in the body of a 65 year old.  He held her hand.  Holding awareness and looking to the One Mind for guidance he realized that he simply needed to be present.  And in turn, he remembered that a book he had found the day before called, "Broken Open."  It had a passage in it where Ram Daas' journey and expression following a stroke was related. 

As I sat listening with tears running down my face I realized that I myself had just been reading a passage in 'The Principles of Healing", where the author pretty much says, when you enter the presence of one who's body is broken you must see the God within them and know the God within you.  And in hearing the passage in Broken Open the following poem's words mingled with the tears on the page of my journal.

Fierce Grace

I can always hold your hand.
I can be present, in Love with you.
I have no right to ask questions.
My soul now here to soothe.

We can discover this heavy grace.
Sit in silence, forgetting time,
and as fierce grace takes ego,
may you see my truth Divine.

Behind the best and worst of me,
is who I really am.
Stand strong in the fiercest grace.
Let it break me from my stand.

The opportunity, the privilege,
helpless to Divine touch.
Reality through my seriousness,
fall from pity into love.

Awaken and pick up your joy,
like a footstep in stride of grace.
Connect beyond the physical,
see me in the eyes of my face.

My tears fall not for sympathy.
They are joy for the soul you are.
The truth of enough is right now,
a conscious, inevitable heart.

(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen

Essence

I started to write this poem a few weeks ago and stopped after the first two verses.  I was sitting in a restaurant and a beautiful young woman walked in.  As I observed the moment I could feel my self attracted to her.  She was both gorgeous and filled with the freshness of life.  Yet at the same time the Being within me prompted the realization that her body, her looks and her apparent age were all of this physical world. 

My contemplation reminded me that all that we see on this world are projections from the world of forms.  The story of Plato's cave speaks of this.  The central idea is that what we long for here is the rememberance of the essence, the spiritual form, behind that which we see.  This is why we are so enticed by the allure of the material world through wants, yet no matter how much we acquire we will never truly be happy.

Today I finished the poem.  Whilst walking through a mall I was reminded of the earlier poem and finished it off as the experience resolved to completion for me.  Enjoy.

Essence

I sense I’m drawn to timelessness,
in young and those born new.
The forms beyond the surface,
the essence I pursue.

Is the spell of beauty,
love’s aesthetic of beyond?
Forms on projected surface,
essence for which I long.

The dazzle of material,
logo’s luring sweetened brand,
enticing sense of essence,
grasped by the shadowed hand.

Wandering shopping’s frenzy,
eye contact less than rare.
Do you share your Divinity,
with the essence that is there?

(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen

Thank You

I had a very interesting experience today. As you may know I recently linked carmien.com to this blog and sent an email for emails I had for my friends. I happened to grab a list of names from the men's group a the Centre, which happened to have an email for someone I don't know, nor have I ever emailed before.

Within a couple of hours I received an email back. I won't get into the details, but suffice to say I read it and then deleted it, moving on with my day. However, it kept coming back to mind. I checked in to my emotions and realized that I was not bothered by it. And then on the drive home it came to me.

I had an memory of Reverend Patrick Cameron telling us a story at the Circle of Love about a man that came up to him after the service, looked him in the eyes (to which Patrick was expecting a gazing expression of love) and then said, "Patrick, you talk to much."

The only reply Patrick could think of was, "Thank you."

And then it came to me. Deleting the email was not the answer. In spite of my having grown significantly around such an event (self-esteem in the past would have led me to feeling insecure and needing to defend myself after days of stewing on it), I realized what I had to do.

The answer to any confrontation is love. Know they are loved. Know that you are loved. And a "thank you" is the perfect response. And even though I seriously doubt this person will see this poem, that my friends is not the intent...


Thank You

There used to be a day,
your opinion triggering doubt,
whether in passion or vitriol,
I would reel at your shout.

The words of your aspersions,
would eat at me for days.
I would fire up my reply,
with 'clever' words to say.

Yet the truth of such matters,
lies in simplicity.
Genuine "Thank you" is perfect.
Only your words can you see.

I would never claim enlightenment;
world's journey's without end.
Such a claim would be an arrogance,
to drive Soul round my bend.

Instead I hold love for you,
see the Divine that you are.
Knowing opinion is perfect,
that you are walking your path.

(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen

A Work in Progress

The past few days have been filled with grace. I've seen a steady week of feeling at peace shift into joy over the past few days. And in turn, the experience is a wondrous one. As for posting blogs - well, I've been productively blissful with clients. The two projects I'm involved with could well be the most exciting and interesting I've ever worked on.

And through all that I've been able to work on a poem. It's not finished yet, but I thought I'd share a couple of verses from it. For an example of the experience - I was able to write four verses today as I ate lunch between meetings with clients. This might not mean much to others, but for me it signifies a significant transition - I'm carrying my grace and awareness with me through my work, and that is magical.

Excerpts from Untitled (as yet)

Staying mindful to who you are,
integrated interior,
being true to needs and wants,
actual choices, not inferior.

Be in right relationship,
like a tree with its leaves,
swayed in spontaneity,
soul's choices through the breeze.

Look to efforts all around,
yet know that we're unique.
Define your line of what is,
your own way you're to seek.

Give way to integration,
entirely pure and kept.
Bestow your fulsome love,
not the shadows of your death.

Talking toward my selfhood,
was my effort of proving worth.
Self and being now grow together,
like a belt tending love's girth....

(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen

I'll hopefully have this completed within the next couple of days.