Different family members upset
Each one trying to do their best
Friends criss-crossing communications
Tempers flaring…trying to calm the anger
Trying to remember: what’s important here?
How can this be settled…?
How can we settle down….
Talking to a journalist about art, about music
About God, about purpose…
“What is success to you?”
I told her it was a mult-tiered answer
And shared the three I knew of…
Creating mandalas on the UT campus
Quiet time to reflect….overhearing conversations
Of trauma, of loss, of travel, of education
Drawing on the ground…drawing in the round
Seeing a happy woman, belly about to burst with
Beautiful, newborn child
Father’s hair curly, jumping being—he’s eager
To become a family soon
Painting tulips this morning on black
Printing paper
Giving it away for a charity to
auction off
WIll it make a difference
This time
I can only hope
With each painting
Each phone call
Each opportunity to listen
Each opportunity to say, “That hurts my heart…”
Each opportunity to work it out
All these little differences between us
All these problems that flare up
Because we are different
Trying to find ways
And say
Yes
in the midst of such shouting.