The Birthing

©2014 Louise Gallagher

Giving birth
to what I do not know

I tremble
in the light

dawning

within my womb
truth breaks
open

my body
aches

at the liminal threshold
of revelation
faltering
on the edges
of my labor

kneeling
I press my forehead
against mother nature’s breast
and drink of her nectar
pulsing through my veins

Reveal to me
the truth
of all that is possible

when I let go of fear

I cry
and surrender

unto Love.

I heard a man say
what’re ya’ smokin’ lady?

Peace?
it’ll never happen.

I stepped into the circle
of his discord

the smoke of his cigarette
circling me

like smoke signals
whispering on the winds of change

I stretched out my hand
and he reached his hand back

towards me crossing
the distance between us

lessened as we stepped
towards each other

We just have to make room
for peace I told him

And we stood
hands connected

the smoke rose and we breathed
momentarily together

and peace happened
between us.

I don’t understand
sometimes
this urge for war
this desire
to kill
it feels
sometimes
as if I cannot
handle
anymore
news
of death arriving
at the hands
of strangers

I don’t understand
and in my confusion
death calls
somewhere
in the world
and I struggle
to grasp
the meaning of
a stranger’s desire
to shoot
a stranger.

The world bleeds
and I want
to stop
it
bleeding
out

Under a frail and moody sky
peace lay bleeding
among the skeletal remains
of life exposed
upon the battlefields
peeled back from the bone-weary
arms
of a mother
holding close the lifeless memory
of her child
gone to war
to cry no more.

Deaf ears
listened silently
to a mother’s call
to lay down
arms
raging
war on and on
until there were
no more voices
to call
for war
no more.

Peace lay down
beneath a frail and moody sky
and cried
no more.

I scurry
daylight waning
in this space where
I follow the path
into forgetful
wondering
where peace
went
in the flurry of
daily obligations
hurrying to and fro
and find myself
here
quietly breathing
in the waning light
of day
calling for night
to bring peace
to my day.

Laughter arrived
unannounced
rolling in a bellyful
of joy
streaming down
through tears
pulled up from the roots
of my being
jiggling for release
I felt a sigh
escape
and peace
descended
in the aftermath
of mirth
passing through.

Ah yes, my soul sighed
this is where peace becomes you.

Peace enters quietly
a silken thread
of memory stretched
tight
across the time
when guns roared
and men fell
in the battle
to make peace.

In its presence
silence descends
the guns are stilled
and we are reminded
war does not create
peace
only Love for one another
Love for all can
make peace happen.

thoughts of peace
fade into a weekend
filled with relaxation
there is no need
to make peace happen
when I happen to be
peaceful.