Energy lessons

[Doreen Peri]

1.

I am attempting to collect energy from chlorophyl,
urging the photosynthesis of my spirit, green
with envy over blades of grass which seek sunrays
while I remain in a dormant phase.

Spring brings cool nights, flights of skywriters midday
as I repeat my mantra, "Come what may, come what may;
today holds the energy of a universe."

This is a call to the gods and goddesses of vitality and vigor!
Send me your vim! Lift me with your lively animated gifts!
I am open to your ambition!

2.

I type 1 sentence.
I get up and pace.
I pull 3 weeds from the garden.
I add 4 items to my list of things to do.
I walk to the porch. I smoke 1/2 of a cigarette.
I answer 1 email.
I get up and pace.
I add 3 more items to my list.
I watch 5 squirrels chase each other.
I watch 6 birds chase each other.
I watch myself get up and chase myself.
I never catch myself.
I am too far behind going in the wrong direction.
I am attempting to do 10 things at once.
I can never get to the end of the list.

This is a countdown.
I need the energy to exist.

3.

The hummingbird has the right idea.
He gets his energy from the flutter
of wings. The song he sings makes
more energy for his soar.
He joins mornings by allowing
their arrival. He becomes,
motivation, survival, being.
He sits perched to clarify his work.
Nothing matters but the hum.

4.

I killed a bee with insecticide.
He buzzed but never stung.
He died.
Such is the nature of energy.
A buzz set free.

5.

I traveled from each point of
the dipper to the next, making
flight connections until I reached
the brilliance of the north star.

I sat far on the edge of a dream
only to fall into the
spoon-shaped ladle,
cradled by whys and whens
which teased me with
long-handled embittered
liquid memories which I hoped to
rise from refreshed.

It was a swim in the sky
and still I could not
assess the energy
allotted me by the place
where the universe
never ends.

And that's
the scoop, my friends ....

6.

I went to where the universe
never began and never ended
and couldn't find myself there
looking for where I had started
and where I was going and so
I decided to sit still and watch
a caterpillar become a moth;
the cost of a
momentary expenditure
not ever better spent.