Midlife on the Path

Of the pre-boomer generation,

way back in the early seventies he agonized

over doomsday predictions . . .

not Armageddon or “The Rapture”

but derricks no longer pumping oil,

asphyxiation of the planet

in clouds of its own dirty air,

planetary throat parched,

water clean no more,

the earth smothered by wall-to-wall people

who could only disagree about what to do.

Where was any hope for his kids,

for his kid’s kids?

Encountering a near stranger

he hoped better to come to know,

from his need and his libido

impulsed the words:

“You are beautiful!”

She was not taken in.

“You wouldn’t be able to see it if . . . .

(deeply into his eyes she looked)

. . . . if it wasn’t also within you.”

No stranger to words,

books even about Love’s inner light,

yet ‘til that moment still asleep,

stunned, he knew it was true.

Never again was he to see that angel

but her words . . . “You wouldn’t be able to see it

if it wasn’t also within you” . . .

changed his life forever

as he began his search for Hope anew.

Thirty-five more years along the path now

nothing much has changed it seems,

except doomsday scenarios

are alarming more and more hearts,

and more and more hearts

are drawing open curtains of pain, of fear, of ego

to let in more Light.

Nothing much has changed it seems,

except I have learned from wrestling

the many dragons along my path

that the outer dragons really are within.

Now I choose to name each one

then choose the path of gratefulness where

despite the mystery

all is as it should be.

© 2007 by Robert G Blakesley