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As I read your poem my eyes disolved in pools of emotion and tears. Riantee, this is so exquisite and meaningful. Thank you, my very dear wise friend. You are so so far shooting to the top of heaven.</div>
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<p>Lydia<br>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> Thespiritexpress <thespiritexpress-bounces@lists.mcn.org> on behalf of Riantee Rand via Thespiritexpress <thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, May 22, 2024 6:38 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> rnadeau via Thespiritexpress <thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Riantee Rand <riantee@mcn.org><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Thespiritexpress] Fwd: 2 poems read on Tuesday</font>
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<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">Calypso Orchid. To my Son<span class=""></span></span></div>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">I’ll meet you at the edge of time<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">where your spaciousness and mine come together<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">in the heart of the tiny, wide-eyed orchid, <span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">sitting at the foot of the big redwood<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">and looking upon the world with innocence <span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">while purring with the contentment of an open heart<span class=""></span></span></div>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">As we sit in our silence<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">the small flower lover of the giant<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">receives our beingness <span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">and offers us our true Self.<span class=""></span></span></div>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">Redwood needles carpet our steps<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">with tenderness<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">as you guide me<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">on the Fairy Slippers' trail<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">that leads to our inspired self,<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">that place of unity,<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">the All in relation to All.<span class=""></span></span></div>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">Without relationship <span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">nothing exists;<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">in relationship <span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">there is everything.<span class=""></span></span></div>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">And the tiny orchid with the many names<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">sprinkles the forest floor<span class=""></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class="">with the love notes of spring. . .</span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""><br class="">
</span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""> *****<br class="">
<span class=""></span></span></div>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""> </span></p>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""><span class=""> </span></span>The Infinite Tenderness of Ordinary Things<span class=""></span></div>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 1.5in; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""> </span></p>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
How tenderly has the chair planted its four legs<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="text-indent:0.5in; margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
onto the maple floor<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
that extends across the room<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="text-indent:0.5in; margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
to the infinite patience of windows<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
encountering along the way <span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""> </span>the willingness of table and sofa to be of service<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
and reaching the walls and ceiling<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
<span class=""> </span>where a merging dissolves the room<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
allowing the sheltering to be complete <span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="text-indent:0.5in; margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
thus restoring perfect faith<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
in the support of all things<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="text-indent:0.5in; margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
as the woman walks in and sits <span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
in the centerless center of her house<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="text-indent:0.5in; margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
within a hall of mirrors<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
revealing her true nature<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="text-indent:0.5in; margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
as the source of all that is<span class=""></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"">
in the silence that is the word of God.<span class=""></span></div>
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