Wednesday, November 30, 2016

"oil and wine," a poem by Jess Coffman

Circles and stars,
A timeless sense of
being who we really are.
Waves of understanding,
that are ingested in each breath,
life-giving,
never evading death.
The inevitable ticks,
the swirls of want,
that heat and cool,
that ease and taunt.

Kiss me and I'm full.
draw on my heart,
pictures, of your love.
Let my colors invade your safe space,
Allow my hopes to disintegrate your walls.
Down the throat,
Wine of dreams,
that provides a drunkenness,
that does not wear off at day break.
Let's agree to break or prevail.
No more hesitation.
No more hearing bitter melodies of the past.
Let's pursue an "us" that
dies or lasts.
No luke warm sense of belonging.
But a song.
a Theme.
Harmonies that swell and let,
bind our individual melodies,
Unwritten rhythms,
A playful duet.

Observing the beauty of life,
seeing it from opposite sides.
Two...from a multitudes of possibilities.
The shade and light.
Two heart beats,
pounding for similar truths,
searching under trees,
traversing the paths of our lives.
Neither one more important
than the other.
Equal in loved.
Love as a brother.
Different, in intention.
Attempting to coexist
among the overwhelming,
and stunning possibilities
that could be missed.

"Having fun with what you can do
in the inbetween,
in the context of each color," he said.
And I loved him for it.
His imperfections that drove me nuts, and
wild.
Life, a complicated compilation of
known and not.
Love, a pure imperfection.
A puzzle.
Each of us, a piece,
to plug into the whole.
Peace being the goal.
Forging our way,
in the brush.
Feet, lead at times,
When the call in our hearts,
isn't loud enough.
Or we pretend not to hear it.

Inner tempo strong,
pulsing center,
locking into his.
Breath involuntary.
Sighs heavy with emotion.
Heavy with hope and despair.
Are you really there?
What can you see?
Do you see me in all of my
fullness and destruction?
Surrender,
the struggle,
and necessity.
Come to me.
Embrace the quiet,
outside of the influence.

It's a journey of extremes.
Not a race,
not a match for time.
A challenge of my dreams.
And I can't turn away,
I'm aware of the growth,
Aware of the lessons,
had, and to come.
In silent artistry,
we hold what we are.
A peaceful difference,
we embrace under oath.

JESS COFFMAN


I dedicate this to everyone who is seeking. Seeking love, seeking God, seeking purpose, seeking peace, seeking fulfillment, seeking your true path. 
We are together in this friends. 
I am there too, the person next to you sitting in traffic on the freeway. 
She might be in line with you at the grocery store, your hairdresser, the gas station attendant, your chiropractor, the single guy at the bar sitting next to you. She might be your yoga teacher, the fellow hiker in the woods, the guy you pass while running down the street, the child on the subway. 
Our challenge is to see, support and love one another without judgment, 
for the path that they are uniquely on.
Thank-you Grant for coloring mandalas alongside me, while I wrote this poem. 


Peace, Grace and Gratitude,

Your Jess

Saturday, November 26, 2016

"Facing The Light," a poem by Jess Coffman

Shortened breath.
Bathed in green,
From sister trees,
and awakened heart.

Determined legs,
Crawl slow and steady,
Then leap ahead,
with childlike exuberance.

Fulfilled with visions,
of future adventures,
meeting my match,
And gifting our love.

With voices silent,
our ears transform,
hearing the ancient wisdom,
Unused in our bodies.

We're at our best here.
Explorers on mission,
burning and pressing,
into the soil untouched.

Our eyes expand,
Absorbing perspectives unknown.
As we climb and push,
past unclaimed beauty.

Suddenly, I'm stopped.
My feet sinking in mud.
I'm captivated,
Captured in Holy Light.

My chest expands.
My arms unlock,
Reaching as far apart
as their bodily limits.

With gratitude and surprise,
I'm calm and praying,
thanking my Creator,
Accepting my humanity.

my weakness.
my immense love.
my guarded heart.
my want.

I am renewed in this Light,
that calls to my soul,
commanding me to stop,
be silent,
be thankful.

"Be Love," it says.
"Struggle and Love.
All that matters is Hope.
Call for the Light."

He walks ahead.
I stay still with obedience.
Honoring myself,
my faith,
my path.

With full-body smile,
I'm connected
In truth.
In love,
In hope,
In respect,
In understanding.

Eyes open brightly,
illuminated in promise to
The Light through the trees.
The Life through the trees.

JESS COFFMAN


If you look closely, you can see me all the way on the other side of that fallen tree, in a pose of exuberant accomplishment. I was on a hike with the "he" in this poem, and we walked past this fallen tree, that was about 30 feet off of the ground, above a steady stream. The trunk was covered in moss and slightly wet, but I carefully crab walked all the way across, and "he" captured this moment of victory. I was much braver on the way back across, walking on all fours, so steadily, feeling my animal instincts kick in, to keep me safe and prevent me from falling. 


In the end it was a Thanksgiving afternoon to remember. We hiked all the way to the top of Gunsight Point, where this picture was taken, atop Mount Hood. 
The rocks we were on were a little under 3,000 feet high. 
It was a beautiful challenge, a opportunity to dream, an opportunity to be grateful for our humanity. 


Peace, Light and Adventure,

Your Jess