A few days ago, this poet commenced a serial offering of, from her thousands of original works, her personal favorites.

She had intended to “return to regular programming” at about the present time ~ but, as was described in her recently posted work “didn’t we dance?” ~

‘you really find out
you had many more favorites
seemed hardly the time
to gather them in
and regrets for some missed…’

… So we will be proceeding with the offering of the poet’s favorites among her own works for yet a little while.

With regard to the following offering, a product of decades of research and experimentation:

The poet wishes to affirm that she harbors no ~ as the Buddhists would say ~ unexamined behaviors. If she participates in any practice, it is because she believes in it.

*****

Recorded Reading (3:37): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7z2mj4upx0lgt3r7pp91x/The-Sacred-Smoke.mp3?rlkey=0u9b6aqpyby0e8dqbk9tkg1gx&dl=0

*****
The Sacred Smoke

Many spiritual disciplines on Earth
Share a conviction of redeeming grace
Assisted by the free release of smoke
In its sacred and its proper space

For people ‘cross this planet, going back
Far into dim human prehistory
From those all across the Americas
To medieval Scotland, sage it be

When burnt makes shadow beings sudden feel
As there were someplace other they might be;
Perceptions universal merit our
Examination openheartedly

Then let us not stop there — if pagan folk
The scent of aromatics not abhor
Well, then our world religions perhaps should
Have us abstaining its stimulus more?…

But no! Panplanetarily we find again
That, most, our mosques, churches and temples in
Doth lovely herbal incense rise in clouds
Before the incantations e’er begin!

Observe picture of meditating monk
Quite clearly in a thorough state of grace
Holding a stick of incense in clasped hands
Directly in front of his smiling face

Each earliest home documentary
Traveling teenage hippie video
Doth with the holy men of India
They rolling and they smoking ganja show

From South America to Africa
Certain strains clean tobacco of
Are medicine which sometimes saves a life
Of someone someone else doth deeply love

Having had very sick lungs myself
This research and conclusion are borne out
By twenty years’ physicians’ testament
Of health we cannot reasonably doubt

Our factories pollutes tobacco smoke
With seven thousand unnecessary
Chemicals, and then we castigate
All sources of all smoke that ever be

Except the lethal fumes which hover o’er
Me as I writing sit beside this road
Go outside now — sit on the ground — and breathe:
This quality doth no good future bode!

Proven medical fact it long hath been
That smokers who have dwelt the country in
Have cleaner lungs at death than any who
Nonsmoker, life in inner city win

This too: Of all the thousand studies done
On tobacco’s advisability
Not one of them has so far ever been
Done on that substance when chemical free

Forgive me, but to me, almost, perhaps,
Just theoretic’lly, it sometimes seems
That we are being distracted, so to keep
Us from an agent of religious dreams

Perhaps, as well, away from some other
Pervasive influence ourselves among
Which, rather than the smoke of veg’tables,
Be author of good many of our wrongs

Though do not mean in any smallest wise
My readers’ righteous anger to provoke
I deem it both spiritual and wise
Continue to inhale the sacred smoke

*****

This poet presently lives at a fraction of her nation’s poverty level.

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