Dean Okamura

 

Sparkling

There is always something – There
There is always something – Alive
     something
          that touches
          that twists
          that disappoints
          that laughs and tears

It's all part of the human experience
There is nothing doing about it
     except
          stopping it
          quenching it
          making it less historic

Be
     that's it
          just – Be
Thinking it through avoids bad Karma
Yes
     keep it in check
but
     once that little voice says go

 

Be
Be
Be yourself
Be the magical Genie that blesses this space

 

The Suspended

Guardian angels were sad. They wept for
The Suspended. These people suffered, yet
usual causes were not to blame:
— no deaths in the family
— no bad fortune
— no sickness
— no tragedies.

 

Their sadness oozed from growing old,
lost connection with friends, or
lack of passion and talent.

 

Once, angels watched a young woman
who sat in a corner. She stared at the wall,
perplexed – confused. The wall pigment
seemed off to her, causing waves of vertigo.
She stared for hours well past sunset.
The room became dark. She could not picture

the room painted in a more pleasing shade.
The Suspended only knew dark-cloudy skies and
never saw clear-blue-radiant heavens.

 

Angels felt they needed a healing hug.
Even heavenly contact left these humans
wanting, like water droplets
hanging on the underside of a rail.
When angels touched the rail,
droplets fell to the ground.
The Suspended preferred to cling to the rail,
upside-down in a line. Their lives
suspended between heaven and earth.

 

While people shouted hallelujah
without faith and belief,
others prophesied historic victories
without lasting inner strength.
Many pretended that everything was good,
with most things out of control.
The Suspended told good stories,
making words cast illusions over
the reality of souls and lives they lived.

 

Perplexed, guardian angels covered
their faces with their wings,
unable to bear the paralyzed grief.