shared freedom

glimpses of dissipating dreamscapes in three a.m. snooze button time
inspire a foggy moment's attention to the task of recollection
before the day's commute to work

traveling scenes, golden leaves, and most of all
the warmth of cameraderie

with fellow travelers
sharing sensual and emotional bonds
amidst our collective free and flowing lifestyle

-----

i am guessing i continue to process
my relations to the streetpeople
and drifting youth of ocean beach

who have provided both the most moving
and frightening encounters i've had here

the last of which brought me to some inner work
to dissolve enemy images

while my first instinct was to leave town
silent empathy from a safe distance proved inspiringly rich

and along with self-empathy
opened up the notion of belonging

-----

in fact a vision arose from the pain of the encounter
with the guy in the library last week

once i fully experienced it without projection

and that was the suggestion
of a healing space i've already been studying

restorative circles

wherein one can create an informal
nearly anarchistic, temporary
and safe social structure

of fellow humans in the community
gathering as they are willing
in order to right a wrong perceived

or more aptly heal a hurt
in the rift that sometimes arises between people

-----

and when this vision occurred to me
i thought this could be more important
than any of the so-called plans i have

to do this or that in some vague future

especially since it comes from wanting to make amends
for my contribution to another's pain

i don't know if i have the resources
personally to find the support
to manifest anything with it

but i like the journey
the empathy associated with it
has set me on

my heart has opened up
to fellow humans again

and my mind to the notion
that legions of overbaked hippie panhandlers

may be reflecting the very shadows
of isolated materialist urban society
that i find myself on both sides of

and in their aggressive, often drug-fueled
insistence on being noticed
demand something more mutual

than what they have so far found

-----

morning dreams have reminded me

why i have chosen to stay in this town
at least another month:

there is a world we all belong to
in common

and a vision of freedom
that perhaps can manifest

if we but remind each other
of the collective and healing power

of sharing it