In the Spirit

There are times
I find myself
Swaying from side to side,
Moving in rhythm to
A song in my mind,
A song only I can hear,
A song that’s reverberating:
I’m smiling, dancing, daydreaming.
I find myself keeping the beat
With genuine joy,
Even with hell flying
All over my head,
Bills piling high,
And work I don’t want to do.
Moving and keeping time,
Keeping faith,
A celebration is going on
In my soul.

I turn my ear and heart upward,
Get the sway and swagger
Going on from side to side:
Life just needs to be dance to
Sometimes.

In the spirit of hope.

A hope that things
May be down,
But I’m not out;
Life comes in cycles,
Tides, ups, downs,
However you fathom
The way things work.
The song changes
From time to time,
The swing and mood of life
Can be whimsical.
Tides do turn.
Fortunes do reverse.
But if you’re always underneath
The rough reverb,
You’ll miss the beat of hope
In the music,
Even when it’s loud,
Full of love,
And people are actually
Speaking to you on the streets,
Waving hellos
As if they know you.

Those are the times
You’ve just got to stop yourself
From whining,
So you can hear the baseline,
The undercurrent of jokester joy,
That playful melody that says
You’re taking yourself
And life way too seriously.
Smile! Dance! Daydream!

Turn your ear and heart upward,
Get the sway and swagger
Going on from side to side:
Life just needs to be dances to
Sometimes.

In the spirit of love!

A love so rich, so electric
I have to step back
And watch the fireworks!
It’s basic stuff: you get burned
If you get too close.
If you find the right distance,
It’ll warm you thru and thru;
People will know you’re in love.
The spirit of living
Will be your guide.

Pain, it’s a part of the equation,
But, honey,
It ain’t all the equation;
It ain’t even the biggest or lowest
Common denominator:
It’s just a small factor
In the loving.

You have to trust
The steps to the dance,
Swing your partner,
Change only when the pain
Is not teaching the love
Or the divine
Is not leading the orchestra.
You’ll know!  You’ll know!
Smile! Dance! Daydream!

Turn your ear and heart upward,
Get the sway and swagger
Going on from side to side:
Life just needs to be danced to
Sometimes

In the spirit of celebration!

© Valerie Bridgeman
circa May 1999