Dance of Honor

In the dance, we pause, step back, feeling deeply

all light, all shapes, all sound, all music, all feeling

and all the most inner and outer pulsing

of life and time -

a pause of reconnection, an honoring pause -

And then our next step forward.

Will it flow in harmony?

Will it be a continuity?

Will it be an honoring?

Without - we come from a world of destruction.

Needing food and drink and heat and protection from harm,

we took.

And that taking was destruction -

eating, clearing, mining, burning, killing.

Will we pause to reflect on the creation, on the giving

that makes our taking good things possible?

Is there a step we can take in harmony with the creativity of nature?

Do we honor the forms and the inner life of trees and passing clouds?

Within - we are imprisoned in sadness.

Have values become barriers? These needs, these reasoned arguments,

these obvious principles, these well-grounded formulas are spoken.

And still our meeting is all disputes and conflicts.

If you are so sad, why are you not crying?

  If we feel these barriers between us, why are we not untying them?

Let us approach in gentleness, assumptions aside.

I come with nothing and offer everything.

Behind your eyes is a tempest and a silver dawn.

We are dangerous and driven creatures.

Yet it is in weakness that our strength resides.

As much as we know each other,

that much can our power grow.

As much as we accept one another,

that much may we accomplish.

Whether, in this dance, I step close or step far away,

This open hand is my promise that I will honor you.