Dream for a Soldier

This poem was inspired by a dream I had last year. I didn't understand it at the time, why I dreamed this scene, this place, this time, this soldier.

Dream for a Soldier

Invisible, I sit, waiting - waiting to know
Invulnerable, he sits, knowing - knowing to wait

In a dream, he's next to me
We share a breath there by the sea

Silenced knowers board the train
I am his grief, I hold his pain

With unshed tears, he turns his gaze
From his loss, to their praise

Now he's brave and proud and true
Waging war in him for you

I, the dreamer, dream him home
He, the soldier, sits alone

Light a candle, say a prayer
Wish for peace in his heart there

Here I sit writing - writing for William
There, he stands, fighting - fighting for me.

~Robin O'Neal, 3/2009


*I sent this poem along with a letter of explanation to a soldier named William who is serving with my friend's brother in Afghanistan. Their unit lost four men in a Hummer explosion in March. As I began to ponder the reality of these soldiers' daily lives, my dream came back to me, suggesting that perhaps I need to step far outside of my own idyllic suburban "problems" and recognize the truth that is the truth of a world at war.

Pondering LOVE Poem

It's Valentine's Day so I'm pondering
LOVE...
I learned recently that
some other culture (can't recall which one now,
but they must be spiritually advanced)
has over 100 words to describe
different kinds of
LOVE.
You know, like Eskimos have
all those different descriptive words for
Snow (which makes me wonder - if you're an Eskimo
are Snow and LOVE sort of the same?)
and folks in the rainforest (what do you call them anyway?)
use specific words to differentiate raindrops,
by their shape, size, and falling patterns

So, I'm wondering if -
when you have more options
for expressing LOVE,
for describing LOVE,
for understanding all the complex
forms that the one word
LOVE
explains -
might it actually alter
the feeling that is
LOVE?

How could we apply
the very same verb
to tell about a movie,
our favorite food,
our children, pets, parents,
spouse/lover/partner/soul mate
and God?

Still, love in all facets
is GOOD
and I thank you,
St. Valentine,
for a day to ponder what
LOVE means.

And She Gave Herself Away

This wonderful poem is submitted by Peggy Blake, whom I had the pleasure to meet and share dreams with at Robert Moss's Active Dreaming workshop in Mystic, Ct last month. I am honored that she felt inspired to put pen to paper and craft her very own poem as a result of one I wrote and shared at that workshop, "And She Gives." And I'm thrilled that she has offered to join me on the Dreaming Poetry blog, giving voice to her own life experience and dreaming poetry.... Here is her touching poem:

And She Gave Herself Away

Reflections fill her as she recalls,
The life she gave to her fatherless kids.
She saw her own dreams turn to vapor,
Quick as a hail storm on hot metal grids.

Left with no home and hardly a dime,
With five hungry boys, like crows on a fence.
Telling herself her purpose in life,
Was to put them first, at any expense.

Spending her honor roll potential,
She showed them big smiles while she hid her sobs.
She wiped their noses and packed each lunch,
While she rushed to work, most often two jobs.

No time to feed her very own needs,
Facing bills piled high that threatened more loss.
Laundry seemed like an army in mud,
While mountains of meatballs simmered in sauce.

Boys turned to men, while Love was her fuel,
She felt it worthwhile, her mission complete.
Her aging bones are warm to the core,
Tasting this victory is ever so sweet.

She knows that she gave herself away,
She's without a stage and can't take a bow.
Though funds are spent, her heart overflows.
She's giving herself to grandchildren now.

~Peggy Blake, 12/15/08

Once Upon the Middle of the Night

Once upon the middle of the night
A dreamer's mystical dream takes flight

She happily journeys through space and times
To a magical schoolhouse where life rhymes

A kind dream wizard leads enLightning games
Robert Moss, the mortal name he claims

Children become warrior, goddess and bear
Spellbound, they enter a multiverse shared

In color, they draw, play-act, and dream
Experiencing all cultures, one unified team

In light of day, she wrote it all down,
Thrilled the scene was her own hometown

She shared with dreampals, near and far
When Robert read it, he gave it a star

"The story flows true," is what he said
"Except where there's 'Robert,' try 'Robin' instead"

The dreamer awoke - to the power of dreams
Knowing her vision might be as it seems

Honoring a map that's way off the chart
She plots a course straight from the heart

A dreamer is dreaming inside everyone
The truths they tell us yet barely begun.

~Robin O'Neal, 10/08

Learn more about Robert Moss, his books and courses at www.mossdreams.com.
* Join the online dream forum, sponsored by Spirituality & Health magazine.
*Be the first to register for the Cincinnati workshop, "The Healing Power of Story," and get Robert Moss' recently released hardcover book, The Secret History of Dreaming, FREE.

To register, email roknrobinwrites@mac.com or call me, Robin, at 513-659-3356.
More info can be found here.

For my Muse

I am sorry, Muse
I know you're there
Your brilliant light is here somewhere

Fill me up
Cheer me on
Come to me in
words and song

Whisper, scream - I don't care
Just help me trust the power flare

this voice... the flash... the flow... the pulse

Heal me, hold me
Break me, mold me

Bid me practice, forget perfection
Nudge my memory dream direction

Dance, my Muse
and smell the bread
In you, through you, I am fed.

~Robin, 10/27/08

Goddess on the Shore

"Goddess on the Shore"

There is in my mind a woman
Luminescent
Walking the sunset beach
Cheek glow shadows cast upon her breast
Watching pink sky horizon
Greet mirror water
On the edge of daynight
Sand squishing as waves recede
Feet sinking
Connecting with her earth
Tall, alone
Effortless grace
One centered soul
Expansive
Enough
Ready

~Robin, 10/03

You Were There

"You Were There"

You were there last night, my silly artist dream pal
Painting my wall bold and breathtaking
Gossiping 'bout real estate and how to raise a girl

You were there last night, yes you,
Though I finished with you finally,
Gratefully surrendering after such belabored strife

Still, there you were
Unexpected, yet welcome
Approving in gesture and tone,
Minus the trollish undertow,
A virtual signature of your features, pure, complex-free

My raw ache faded further
in your wink and chuckle,
that cool costello flare lingered easily throughout today.

You were there last night, my friend
Effortlessly floating across my unconscious
Easing old grievance
as we gazed upon sparkling skylights
revealing only clear blue sky
with scattered cumulus clouds of hope

~Robin, 2004

Lunar Welcome

Bzzzzz…. sacral chakra vibration, tingling
tjurni journey

Mesmerizing midnight mirage
dabbed with indigo
magenta smears
citrus highlights
glitter sparkle swirls

cool warm space

Gently gliding up and toward
up and toward

“I am here,” I hear
“I am here,” I feel
“I am here,” I know

Here, in sacred falcon feathers, proud. speckled. brown.
Here in grandpa’s pocket watch. golden. chain.dangling.

There beyond opaque mist,
waiting
no hurry, no time
only here, now
patient. everpresent.

Gently gliding up and toward
up and toward

Lunar being of light
embraces me with kind compassion
pure love streaming
in, from , through
all space, all time, all dimensions,
all. of. me.

Welcome, dreamer…. welcome home.

~6/08