OPEN AIR

O what a blessed time it was to be
Three together—our 4 year old Ruby
You, me, eating outside our painted tipi
Home. Yes, like we'd been before
In our Cheyenne days—
Sat round a red ember fire
On which you loved to cook. How graceful
Once again you were: a Goddess
Gift to me
For me to learn to give my all.
Your deep pleasure--was shining
For Ruby and me…and thereby blessing
That sacred tipi spot above the Loch.

Your joy brought out the best in me
So my mind learned how to transmit love
In which your heart at last could feel alive.

We were more happy
Than we ever had been.

Did a demon destroy our Arcadian bliss?
A time-less embrace. A strife-less tryst.
How did it get in
To that strife-less embrace…that revealing tryst?

But it wasn't a demon
Which twisted your head.

When a cold wind blew
And the first leaves fell
We orphaned love's presence
In which we had dwelt.

Through abandoning our tipi
We both felt bled.
Bled of love's magic
Bled—dead! Bled—dead!
Bled of that freedom
On which we had fed.

Through the winter we wallowed
Inside the stone house
Me sawing and chopping
Rowan and Birch.
But the warmth from my fires
Failed to keep your soul warm.

I struggled and struggled
To keep you out of your head
And brighten your days.
But you put me in jail
Grabbed Ruby and fled!

But that wasn't the end.
Guilt brought you back from afar.

Then, on All Souls, early evening
I was in Eden Court waiting
On the Art Gallery floor
When you actually appeared.
I saw Ruby first who rushed into my arms,
Whilst you, wrapped in shyness
Watched Ruby and I.
Ruby elated
Keeps kissing her dad.
Her dad! At last.
At last.

In the back Ruby's singing
You place your palm on my knee.

Feeling each other's grateful
Quietness
I drive through the dark
To the pre-historic

Clava ruins.

Where we pray
Under the stars
Love  Love  Love
Hold us together Lord
Hold us Lord Hold us
Hold us   together.

Om Namaha Shivaya
Teach us how to be.
On Namaha Shivaya
Teach us how to be.
Om Namaha Shivaya
Shivaya
Shivaya