I was made for Afternoons

haiku writing morn fun and laughter for my kin - prepare yourself quick! morning aging man solitude and coffee cups insides coming out last day of the year breakfast bowls and watered grass time to stretch my legs young girl of seven curly hair and much to say choosing what to wear prince of "Cars" and tube sleeps atop a bed of pine must learn to stay there! cleaning of home place takes time from other pursuits lost in brush and tile phone call from old friend seeking connection again -let the moment breathe haiku game-play morn words to give a chance of hope -open door new year

Sleepless summer night Too much caffeine pumping through the ole veins Four o’clock munchies n books Cruising the net looking for … Something Something to settle down these after dark jitters Something not too intellectual Too spiritual I can feel the tiredness invading my body My breath My stomach feeling ill from lack of rest A panacea must be here somewhere Write a haiku I’m learning that art The five seven five combination Depth without being over blown Succinct yet meaningful A koan of hopeful truth Can’t even begin Can’t even think Blurry yet still here Heavy fingers misspelling and bashing the lappy Give up the poetry Switch off computer Shhh I instruct it Stop playing that meaningless good bye theme Don’t wake the littlies Sit out looking out the front window No signs of dawn yet Breathe in and out Now slow down Can’t wait for it Climb into bed Don’t disturb CK Lie still Wait Clock ticks in digital silence Blinds swing Pushed by the invisible breeze I turn my head and don’t loo

Woke today with dragons roaming around in my head Be this, do that, why-didn’t you, how could you’s All competing with one another For attention Or domination My poor old self-esteem and soul Couldn’t cope They ran into my mobile phone And hid there Waiting for a call To bring them back To let them know that All was safe in there once again it took a while to drive those buggers out Three pages of writing A long walk in the rapidly heating morning sun Coffee and a poetry book A hug from a friend A smile from CK Watching the kids play Swinging round and around Then Without a word They were back with me Slipping in under the radar Dodging what was left of my fear. I felt their gentle coolness Easing the morning away Today marks the end of the Christmas catch-ups in our house The season of late nights for lizey loo and the little prince The endless tiredness for me and CK Soon it will be new year The arbitrary marker which makes us somehow Whether by stealth or by tradition Recap recount

Normalcy hits for a few short days The prince disorientated by the close of one celebration And the coming of another Raced around the supermarket Looking for Santa The chair Gone The elves Scarpered Even Rudolph seems to have got his act together And disappeared Into the mythic skies He was sad the little man in five Christmases this is the first Where he seemed to get The whole shebang The competing stories Of red suits vs swaddling rags Presents vs gifts Elves vs kings Giving vs receiving Joviality vs transformation Greed vs happiness Emptiness vs mystery It’s a lot to take in when you’re five It’s a lot to take in when you’re thirty-seven… Finding deeper truth In all the stories this time of year With our sophisticated minds We in and out Keep and discard too easily Cant see it as a whole Lost the innocence Haven’t yet found deeper meaning Distracted by purchases n cooking Family issues n keeping everyone happy but the children take it all in Christmas is really for ‘em innit? They

Quick drive home this afternoon after continuing the celebrations at my parents about one and half hours drive south of the city through the desert the outskirts of the metropolis past salt lakes n farms gourmet real estate oasis’ long stretches of faceless sandy blocks ready for another property boom (perth is beyond itself housing price wise not even the ants can afford it now…) the children enjoy the time with their little cuzes they dance n sing n bicker play games n watch tv explore and destroy their latest toys fight for attention n cuddles from the oldests while us the two young good looking couples allow our parental weariness to be allayed by grandparent ministration at least for a while chat amongst ourselves are civil n nice swap presents with everybody smile at our partners make the best of it we took all the littlies to the beach my curly and the young prince me bros littlies littler yet than mine a quiet spot sheltered from wind many families there the children all screa

magi mystery- how i myself become the gift to be given. still December night by the single candle light i explode with love. children sleep amidst the open cases of joy. dreaming without fear.

awake at last the warmth of candlelight liturgy n rite n ritual familiar stories long since told ceramic figures come to life speak the angels alleluia a spell broken wound healed tiredness still with a depper joy underneath empty of brokenness seeping away amidst the midnight gathered heat of december clans gathered words of greeting begin the hope he is here my smallness his joy his mystery my hope the lost one opens gifts wide eyed an unexpected new beginning its immanance unplanned

Café morning Eggs n bacon on the street So much for trying to reduce the meat intake.. Coffee in hand Kids n dogs n passer-by’s Light morning sun This daylight saving caper starts the mornings entertainment More gradually than a month ago Just sitting In our favourite café A form of meditation No agenda here No reason for movement for an hour or two All your needs are met An instant community forms Around the glass The whiz pop n grind of the machine speaking to each of us beckoning us forth the chrome and silver god of the morning whispering greetings of great joy oh I need to stop this how much longer can a religious metaphor be a applied to coffee drinking I know AH might have a word or two to say about this…! Then music n candles n images Travel with the smallest prince Endless endless reorganization Processions to be practiced Things to be moved Including long held positions Or recently clutched ideas Then travel, shopping, cleaning Discoveries of long dead meat pieces … And lette

Into the silence of the automated vehicle I climb once again Adjust the control mechanism Isolate the ignition system relocate the reflective technology choose the soundtrack to accompany my journey who knows when I will return? Or with what? What artist can fulfil the task of providing Beats for this mission Melodies for travel Harmony to counter the stresses of exploration? Chiming guitars I believe Late 60’s rock with Hammond Traffic Steve Winwood Perfect With the strains of paper sun echoing around the in-flight entertainment The transporter leaves the drive and I head to the providers The stealers n dealers The takers n makers The purveyors of the cheap N the pricey The discount and the discounted the mega and the mini all things for all people a gift for every occasion for every human bean stuff beyond the imagination of many a third world country still useless and discarded disregarded by us superior beings oh the longing to be Christ to turn the tables to scream and shout to t

Afternoon freends Weather here is a balmy 32 Humid and darkly overcast I’ve just woken from a nap A little thirty minute wonder to Cleanse the senses Open the receptors Re jig the system Reboot the mind Harness the cosmic energy You get the idea no doubt I’m feeling worn today Like an old suit Past its glory days No longer in style or in use Just kept on for Familiarities sake Because its always been there Its physical end of the year blues The ragtime feeling The cosmic space rock brain Endless loopy doodling With mental ideas Random outside the box thoughts God present but absent Time passing But unfelt hunger Not easily fed Truth Not readily told Light Not seen Life not lived These moments change us Even now as I write I feel Changed Enlivened Willing to seek that secret source From where the positive flows Create Make Be Discuss Find the well of joy I am going Now.

The light faded silently over the ocean Drops of ran fell Inside the red of a December sunset Spaced out n spread out Separating themselves n falling like heavy tears I strap myself into my 12 string Strum a few warm up ideas Look out over the sea of candles n fluorescent tubes Children stare up from the concrete steps below me Their tired eyes wide with magic Lost in the commotion n singing N too many sugary fire drinks Smiling at my associates I mutter some hopefully meaningful words into the mic About drought n friendship n hope I strum the opening rhythm The chords sound amazing through the foldback I sing, waltzing through the words with a mixture of fear and exhilarations JA is next She sings her bit with poise and awesome pitch Then CK works her magic Sound dripping from her vocal chords Like honey by the time we get to my Bono impersonation The band is pumping “Feed the world” candles waving brass chiming on riffs JMc and I sing into a mic together Which must have looked strang

Christ messe is hitting hard here Celebrating the birth of the saviour with Rushing Over commitment La la la la la You’ ve heard me say it all before freends ! Sorry to bore you Its just that this year It feels a little more important for me to Notice it Speek it out to ya and meself Teach me littilies the truth Try and see beyond You know anyway. Don’t ya? Today we celebrated a fellow littlies birthday Myne ran ragged Ate well and then bid farewell On to the next big event The carols by natural organic light (as in wax procurements) songs to be sung dances to be rehearsed frustrations to be carried out guitar strings to be strummed self images to be maintained then the afternoon was as different from the morning as santa from jesus lingering lunch cricket on the tube (now for you readers from around the world that’s a rather lovely game where men wear white and chase a red ball around a green field or throw round arm as fast as they can at the poor fella whose supposed to hit i

lack of routine leads to lack of energy increase of free time leads to creative decline sunshine later in the day leads to later meals, later chats later rising, less meditation pressure is a wonderful teacher but the pressure is what I am escaping coffee is the drink of heaven but my blood pressure is the stuff of hell i soon become sick of my favourite recordings love to read but can’t find a book that suits the littlies I love with all my heart can drive me to distraction long for a quiet life but can’t live without the city Good n evil day n night young n old Ying n yang Black n white God n the devil In n out True n false Straight n gay fast n slow catholic n protestant low n high i need all these opposites we set up to constrain our worlds to give us meaning even when the meaning we seek is within us around us within the opposites the space between holidays n work where I now stand is neither one nor the other neither stressed nor relaxed the nether world of life travelling mov

Mornings are slower now Time for a walk before coffee Time for silence as the rest of the family sleep Time to write to you freends Yesterday was swimming n chips n shopping Pushing my way through the maddening crowd Desperate to find a last minute gift for the Lovers in my life Avoiding tacky Christmas displays n credit card debt Wandering drunken santas Floods of humanity (in bizarre fashion this year) Long lines at checkouts deserted by assistants Then long afternoon naps With family n freends visiting later Wine n antipasto n celebration Fond farewells to travelling companions Children’s toys n stories Music songs readings Something real to pass the days with And then today… Thinking about thinking about praying About liturgy About art n poetry and what cd Should go on next Bowie I think See ya later

The working year is finally over I escape like a young falcon Flying over the fields of Paper n pens n rolls n books n bits n pieces Leaving the mounds and mountains behind Running from exams n tests n evaluations Fleeing from appraisals meetings conferences n endless Endless discussions Our bellies full with celebration scars of endurance A medal with dubious honour My comrade and i board the red chariot The sun is hot and our car silently Cruises the back streets home Simple discussions of music N technology The coming break What we want to hold on to What we need to let go How tired we are Getting older Thinking younger We have both thought of three’s Meditation writing walking for me Exercise prayer music for him The breath returns The heart relaxes My comrade dropped home The last few minutes of travel Seem an eternity The heat is pulsing The car groans as I turn into home The last sound of the Last moment It is Finished The true day About to begin

sorry for the few days absences freends travels far and wide to visit the sick father (who was out of da bed n watering da flowers !) n celebrate the new union of one of the missus brothers great chance for me and missus ck to travel together spend some time listening to music in the auto weller n kilbey for me joni for her jim moray for both of us watching the scenery go by talking bout stuff like how we been together for ten years and still fancy each other! eased my worry i felt some of the agony of teaching fade slightly and lift we spent time in funky cafes awesome coffees in bunbery reading the knews and whos and whats whats had a slow n careful haircut from a lovely young thig just learning her trade had a vibrating seat n all persued the never ending shopping strips (Actually strip shopping sounds good…) met with da missus’ fam drank n clapped n did all the right things these things just wear me out when I am like this then home again after a night at… fawlty towers! can you be

last day of the week last month of the year moments to think n dream n love n laugh what a year its been freends family sicknesses great joys new lives creative endeavours conflict hurt hope stress n release time passed in silence n waiting with icecream n coffee with my beautiful children today i sit in an empty classroom n look around it all seems like a dream the noise n frentic activity i feel like a stranger in my own space like a captain without a vessel human but alien i am ready for a rest for hope and love long mornings with nothing to do but read the paper chat discuss feel the tension leave my body leave my psyche leave a musty after taste a shimmer in the curtains hope longing future the day draws to an end see you tomorrow.

the meeting was a bit of a success this morning at least i hope so i felt good relieved why do we put so much pressure on our children on their "performance" on their "success" why not let them alone let them be kids enjoy time before the inevitable shove into the adult world this is not whatcha you want to hear from a teacher is it? but now comes the let down weariness tiredness brokenness the end of the year is close and i can hardly wait advent again wait listen stop and occasionally the light comes through smiles from the littilies reassurance from the missus n an answered friend a smile from a stranger enough to keep you going bless ya less morose tomorrow i promise

schools out while i should be glad tomorrow begins difficult interviews issues to be placed on the table and i always find myself feeling a little trepidatious a little self negative why can't i trust myself? my ability? instincts? my first reaction is always fear flight self aimed then i recall wisdom from others wait look with advent eyes trust be still pray listen then i welcome my fear or flight listen to it turn it into prayer hope and that is this afternoons task so i'm off prayers please freends as i prepare for tomorrow i need to know god is with us emmanuel

i'm getting a message freends in words from the pulpit in songs in mp3s n mpegs in pdfs and word stop running be slow it down do it differently am i listening can i hear it do i want to anyway? its too easy to complain innit say im too busy too stressed overwhelmed under funded then do nothing preserve and maintain my little status quo n little inpenetrable world make no changes it takes an effort to say no to see what really matters enough stop to see with different eyes ---------------------------- my effort is to start with me i said no to two things i would've liked but would make me too busy running around too much probably eat n drink too much anyway... felt good actually to preserve a little inner space. this morning i walked for a bit in the cool air just before dawn (another plus for saving da light) got to the mine early enjoyed the peace n some chant n stuff n the new cheerch remix see ya later

here in da west of this desert of a country we began yesterday the great daylight saving adventure it started badly we were home late as it was about 11 which meant when we put the clocks forward it was after 12 i like to get up early n meditate drink coffee write etc you know me vices which means about five thirty but too lazy in the body we all slept until about seven thirty which was really late for us 'cos we had to be out the door by eight thirty all those thirtys making me thirsty... so time was of the essence but the evening children played until later set up the tree fell tired into soft beds the missus and i chatted and did jobs enjoying the evening light n each other no music just the sounds of distant traffic n the creatures around our house sounds like a fairy tale dont it but it was a nice start to the season to summer hope there's lots more o these feeling a bit italian sorta 2day so ciao!!

yesterday was a little blur from advent spaces to friends faces in the evening The missus and her group Of witches and maidens (y’all need to check out the link) launched their new recording at a central city church full of stained glass n wood the perfect ambience for the lasses with candles outfit changes an appreciative crowd sublime vocal harmonies gentle humour celtic folk roots material happy faces all round lizey loo came n danced n feel asleep in my arms made me glad to be a father and a lover. tired now the house is quiet and i need a nap See you later.

Heat returns with the season of waiting i spent the morning adorning adoring sacred space with colours simplicity candles gum and wattle trying to unclutter. to make simpler is not as easy as it first appears first too much too little balance takes time to achieve in space and in time even now i am unsure … this space may invite others to simplicity emptiness mysticism that is my simple hope my inner life needs this space clean beautiful light for its own waiting waiting for what surrounds it waiting for the air it already breathes waiting for waitings sake to learn from the journey it is an advent-ure without leaving my chair the advent-ure this advent peace freends.

december first christ - mass specials endless droning carols guaranteed to bore you by the 25th thousands of fake fat santas listening to endless requests for more more more i want i need i desire gluttony rules this month with its twin sisters materialism and consumerism and in the midst of all this kerfuffle come the broken the silent the poor the christ calling us beckoning us see the world anew through the hands of the shepherds the eyes of the lamb the watching and waiting of the magi listening for the beating of angel wings the soft cry of a child the implosion of stars words whispered on the wind how our heart aches for the coming of this christmas the real christmas christmas further up and farther in we wait my freends spread this stillness tis simplicity this hope in this silly season i've put big black lines through my diary taken lots out bought a new book gone awol gone to beach time goin' underground goin' on retreat takin time makin time live these days gentl