what is it that u see in him that u don’t or won’t see in me? i am taller than him, i look better than him & more than by half i am smarter than him. yet he can make yr nostrils flare, yr bubble butt bounce & make u wear yr orgasm face for the world to see u objectified, existing only to sate his desires, reduced to having no thoughts, feelings or needs of yr own. what is it that u see in him & not in me? what jackpot? pregnancy? std’s? infertility?
that love, like god’s breath, cannot be easily divined, or its meaning made plain; cannot be scryed except in the crystallized substance of those infinite interactions ‘tween lovers who timorously, hopefully reach out or indifferently withdraw, who exult/exalt or hurt/debase, who cling possessively to or dispassionately let go -- or who kill, is well-known, oft forgotten, & remembered, too late, in the wee hours of the morning, & under thin, scratchy blankets of despair.
every outward or perceptible grace, every indication, reflective or direct, of an unconscious purposiveness, of consciousness & a dense, personal & collective identity into which i escape & into which i languish; to which i return after sleep, fever or trance & coruscate an ineffable unity that can only make itself clumsily known in the aggregate, molecular fabric of my skin & in these big arms that hold u.
i've heard them say love was a wonderful thing, something you couldn't hide on a shelf sam cooke
it’s something that can’t be hidden on a shelf, under bed or bushel, however one may try to warp masculine-like around it with toughness or indifference as bark or skin. ill-concealed by a not-so-transparent veil of ignorance, behind which nothing is known of self or ability, position, race, ethnicity, sex or gender; where all are rational, free & morally equal, a young boy’s love, a wondrous delight, scatters darkness, deepens shadow; a transient pulse.
the tortoise made hermes exclaim “u are a joy to me,” steal its pretty tortoise shell & turn it into a lyre. the four-eyed goat made eşu declare “u will not see what i do!” he made ebo & exposed the goat a liar.
a christmas tree decorated…
the heathen vainly cuts a forest tree, adorns it with silver & gold, & fastens it with nails to appease the gods! eşu scoffs at the christian who knows not that to live free of privation, one must please the gods.
a finger pointing to a line in an open book…
fingerpointing is prerequisite to reading words when vision is weak or distracted; one cannot scan a line of text without losing his place. eşu needs not fingerpoint to impute blame or make one lose his place or face.
frost-covered trees against winter skies…
frosty trees, dark, gloomy skies, the freezing cold & snowfall, repeating patterns all & specific to winter. eşu, like the human mind, is often cold & repeats tiresome patterns; punishes us today for misdoings done tomorrow!
through bankruptcy, society gives to an overburdened individual the opportunity to begin again...
tis not society, but eşu, who finds the line delineating this & that; blurs it. finds the divinely pure & clean; sullies it. finds the lowly & abandoned; lifts them up; rewards & confounds the foolish & the good.
a hen scratching the ground to find nourishment for her progeny...
the scratching of hens not only finds seeds & the occasional worm to feed their young, but cleans off the magics laid down on the ground by enemies. those who befriend eşu are seldom troubled (or for long) by enemies.
a formally dressed elderly man stands near trophies he brought back from a hunting expedition…
the old man longs for the jungle, to humble himself again in the arms of the wild. he looks upon his trophies as emblems of a deep, terrifying vision of love. eşu reveals unfathomable levels of soul knowing.
a human soul seeking opportunities for outward manifestation ...
every incarnate soul should be grateful for the gift given it, thankful that eşu has opened the way for it to come again; thankful to ọlọrun who has given it a new body, breath & destiny!
in a circus the bareback rider displays her dangerous skill ...
this rider has iwá-pẹlẹ, has balance & coordination & can ride the steeds of change without equipment to compensate for errors, has made ebo to eşu; has developed good character. all good things come to those with good character.
a powerful statesman overcomes a state of political hysteria...
he fed his ifá a ram & a he-goat as his awos, the sons of wind, thicket, trees & ropes, advised. he knew that he would prevail in any crisis so long as he fed his ifa & eşu, & listened to the advice of his awos.
a man revealing to his students the foundation of an inner knowledge upon which a "new world" could be built…
“learn u the efficacy of patience for such is as constant as heaven & earth. patience requires forbearance & resistance to the temptation of vengeance. leave vengeance to the divinities who will intervene on the side of righteousness!
having passed through narrow rapids, a canoe reaches calm waters...
what human suffering may come is but the dark before dawn. forbear & be patient, child of earth, temptations reveal yr weaknesses, but to resist them makes u strong. eşu tests & tempers yr mettle.
a dentist at work...
eşu works the permanent parts of our lives, the bony sub- stances & soft inner pulp -- parts under threat like decaying relationships -- filling holes, straightening or repairing that which is broken or taking them out.
a path through woods rich in autumn coloring...
from too old to work & too young to die to reaping entitlements given a life lived well & the stories,traditions & knowledge borne & told, eşu, the crotchety old time tester, rewards those who make sacrifices.
pelicans menaced by the behavior & refuse of men seek safer areas for bringing up their young...
my errant thoughts have abandon their nests, leaving their eggs to be trampled or exposed to predators. where will they find new nesting grounds & solemn sancturary?
iba eşu, please open that road.
a hindu yogi demonstrates his healing powers…
"arise... approach the great beings & know the truth!" eşu demands we know the truth within existence, the reality beneath appearance & the immortal which gives meaning to our mortality. In this way shall we be healed!
