“a little bit of risk is needed
if you need to feel alive”
I thought to myself
as I sipped a bitter hot coffee
staring out the autumn window scene
9.24.2024
Author: Ralph
life. coffee. stories.
Beginning
do you remember that one day
in late summer, sitting on a wooden chair,
staring out through one of two windows
framed in a white room watching
the green leaves of a long tree branch
swaying as if eternally ephemeral?
If you recall, you were waiting then.
Waiting for an adventure to take you away.
Now: I want you to know you’ve had them.
You’ve been hurt, healed and grown.
You’ve met a heck of a lot of people.
So, I wonder if you can stop the waiting now.
Let us not stay asleep any longer.
9.22.2024
Onward
raise up your chin.
we’ll see at the end what happens,
but for now, at this moment,
let’s believe it’s going to work.
let’s give it all.
9.19.2024
Dream
I looked around,
and saw an endless horizon of sand dunes
next to where I stood I saw a sand pit
and thought I glimpsed a white glint of moon
reflected on a puddle of water
I started to dig deeper,
and quieter and darker it grew,
like the iris of the eye held in old memory.
after a long tunnel of darkness,
I thought I saw the light,
fleeting away like a rabbit.
and when I caught up to the other side,
I found a small kid with a crown on his head
the small prince asked if I’d seen a red fox.
I nodded and passed him by
then sat by an old pilot nearby
and borrowed a lighter.
As I flicked it on,
I saw a flare lighting up instead,
growling amber like a burning jacket held
in the hand of an old withered man
leading a long line of lost ones
in a dark and bitter winter.
when I woke up,
I saw the sunlight sparkling in a glass cup.
I took a sip of water,
and went for a run by the river,
leading to the ocean of an endless horizon.
9.17.2024
Standard
Listen to those who fast.
Clear in body and mind,
their wisdom goes deep and far.
No pride, lust, jealousy muddies their eyes.
In breath, in heartbeats
A profound truth reveals itself.
It may be the tiniest grain
that seeds the beginning of a new world.
9.15.2024
Tapestry
For those who have lived longer,
the weight of knowledge weighs heavier.
Cascading threads of stories, questions,
and evidence weave a lonesome tapestry.
We wrap it around our shoulders,
as we walk towards the star
one step at a time,
one thread at a time.
9.13.2024
Haven
Welcome back,
it’s a bit of a sore to see you again,
but we’ve gained a new lesson, too, no?
Know when to say no — even
when others are inviting you —
for history is written in actions, not in excuses.
Apply yourself in all waking moments,
instead of living vicariously through stories.
It’s not just a privilege, but a responsibility.
Time is chasing you, labeling you with age.
Let your age be a badge of honor
rather than a sign of warning.
Alright, off you go again.
Give it your best out there.
I’ll be here alright.
9.11.2024
Gratitude
Graciously, stars descended
Upon endlessly green pasture
Clear, soft, and shining, they smiled
And shared their stories.
I was awe-stricken.
Gazed at their marvelousness
Soaking in their wonderful stories
It was just beautiful.
Truly, a grateful moment.
9.8.2024
Family
Share the meal.
Have a heart-to-heart talk.
Stay together at all times,
in spirit, in principle, in creed.
Carry each one’s own load, and the some.
Come back.
Remember your own.
9.7.2024
Cry
When the birds start chirping,
like a shards of glass in a glass jar,
Spinning around and working
the noise in circles to hear from afar,
Close your eyes for a moment.
Close your ears for a moment.
And let it all out.
No one to apologize. Just let it out.
No time for stoics, heroes or whatnot.
Just hold on. Grip it tight and let it all out.
9.6.2024
Ralph with Coffee 
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