"Off-Roading" a poem by Jess Coffman

Spellbound and stagnant,

Head cocked to the side, 

In this Sonoma haze, 

In this Sonoma laze. 

I'm completely off-roading, 

Riding wild and fried, 

Not unraveling blind, 

Though not heeding the signs. 

Waking in beauty, 

Without consequence,

In ignorant bliss,

With ignorant kisses.

We frolic and caper

In summer romance, 

Hands up in surrender, 

In worship to chance.

I keep an ear to the wind,

Collecting blue flowers,

Covered in answered prayer, 

Bowed down to, for hours.

But foreseeing from past, 

The road'll call till I'm back, 

And I'll dance in sweet virtue, 

Once I've learned from the lack. 

Though when I lay in blue flowers...

The bees buzz me to sleep. 

Can I dream this to life? 

With my Soul mine to keep? 

So...I spin till I'm dizzy,

The gypsy's lament,

With no roots firmly planted,

In downward decent.

Or, maybe I'm heading, 

Toward Heavenly ascension, 

A skip on the clouds, 

With no road to mention. 

I suppose I'm in fear, 

I'm capricious and waiting,

For these bubbles to pop,

For the heart-sink, and drop.

At once, wistful and quiet 

In this reckless abandon, 

Recalling past kisses

When I threw all my cards in.

And how I withdrew then, 

I picked them slowly, 

My lips hanging lowly,

As I took back my chances.

At sunset's beckoning,

I let worry bow,

And fall to the beauty 

Imbuing us now.

I sip up a breath,

And halt the reckoning.

The overture plays, 

For my life's second act.

I step up to the stage, 

Submit to the beckoning, 

Embrace the Off-Centered,

Unbuckle my knees. 

Swept off of my toes, 

In utter improvisation,

I whirl in wonder, 

And swallow the dream. 

Wholly present, I choose

This gifted hallucination,

And bask in the 

Stunning possibility 

It gleams.

JESS COFFMAN

 

 

  

Hey Friends!

"Off-Roading" was written over the course of about 24 hours, which is a really rare occurrence. I usually get sucked into The Flow of inspiration, and I have to drop whatever I'm doing immediately, to quickly receive and interpret the words. This is why I always have to have my phone charged and a pen and notebook on me, at all times. I never really know when I will be gifted the opportunity to be invited into inspiration. It's not always entirely precarious, I can definitely sit down and write, and feel good about what I have just put down. But there are times, usually when I am stimulated by the beauty of nature or unique experiences, that I enter a kind of euphoric state, where I'm taken over for a period of time. I can feel it coming on, and while I'm in it, I try my best to stay in it, and then I can also feel it receding. It's like a sort of high, and not to be totally crass, but it's akin to different levels of orgasms. Sometimes its totally euphoric and other times it feels good but isn't life changing. Sorry Mom, and other family members...but I'm thirty. 

I am currently in Sonoma, having the most amazing time working for Transcendence Theatre Company. This experience has felt like a honeymoon...partly because there are lots of people here on their honeymoon. But honestly, the people of Transcendence, the people of Sonoma, the marvelous natural landscape, the ability to sing and dance in the stunning Jack London State Historic Park, and the fact that I am so inspired here, has made me recommit to life. Recommit to God. Recommit to health. Recommit to dance. Recommit to insane generosity. Recommit to being weird. And has opened me up to respecting silence, respecting different belief systems, respecting hard work, respecting indulgence, respect for the lack of control in my life, respect for a garden and meat that I consume, respect for making insane dreams come true. And...respect for the mysterious welder/artist who owns Cyclops Ironworks, who is responsible for all of the marvelously weird art you see above. 

And after committing and recommitting myself to so many things, and vowing to respect so many other things, that is when the honeymooning began. I am in love with life right now...and a sparkling red from Paradise Ridge winery, thanks to Jonathan. But every great honeymoon must come to an end...or does it? 

Love, peace and wine, 

Jess