the flowers

I admit I thought that I was somewhat complete

with the miseries of tantra

until I read your recent passionate poem to a friend


and humbly realized a lot more work was yet needed

in the areas of my self-control and

letting go of any and all control over others


so I worked on reopening my own heart to simply witnessing

the knowing of your own healing heart

and knew I was on a good road


a sense of honoring set me right again

and miracles being what they are

I began then to remember who I am as well


----------------


flowers often symbolize a valentine-like sentiment

and while there is some kind of invitation involved in their presentation

I offer them in the rather un-like spirit of non-attachment


an invitation for whatever the next stanza might bring

so long as I am not playing small

and thus undermining my part

in our radically honest conversation


-----------------


indeed why shut down

my playful freely-giving masculine nature

my amusement at my fear-flitting ego

my dance


as I allow you to have your experience

trusting you will ask for and do what you need


in honoring your perfect autonomy

I hope to set at least one or two things right

my relation to myself and my relation to you


-------------------


tantric reflections

being what they are

it thus occurred to me


to ask the dark haired woman

who I danced with

before you arrived


the uncharacteristically

bold question of

whether she was a tantrika


(the relative intent

of such a line of questioning

to be at least momentarily deferred)


and she asked what the practice meant to me

if it was more about the sexual or the energetic


and I said it was hard to put in words

but it was more about the healing

the great thing about tantra being that it's all connected


everything on the table in service of healing and liberation

is one way I've heard it put


-----------


and perhaps which I needed to converse about

in order to have the clarity and words for

why I brought you the flowers:


as my two cents toward

that heart-healing project

you are involved in


and for the simple enjoyment

of the rather liberating stretch

of giving them


while of valentines I cannot say

I do offer you my life

at least in play


tantra's funny that way