Thoughts Have Hands

Grieve today,
Not coming in first,
Then rest,
Let go of anger,
Disappointment
And your fear of worse.

Notice the rain wash clean the streets,
Settle the dust.
Splash in puddles if you must.

Breathe autumn’s air,
And then as before
watch and wonder as colors fall,
Covering old ground and dying grass.
Take delight as leaves blow free,
Then ready yourself for the cold winter
you flee.

Raise your head from preparing the fire
and if you will,
Rejoice for the spring that soon will come;
Make necessary amends,
Hold hands my friends,
Then go build the rainbow bridge
You intend,
For no one knows how or when
This struggle will end.

THH
11/6/24

Enter the doorway of time carefully 

For your mind will demand to go out shopping.

To step into the marketplace 

Full of wants invented 

With cares to redress;

Push a cart on wobbly wheels,

Down well stocked aisles of

Potential sustenance,

Difficult to resist, 

Or wisely consider

For color, freshness, and flavor.

With promises of relief and

total satisfaction, 

A hungry body and thirsty mind

Could be forgiven carelessness,

Mistaking taste for true nurturance.

Available at one low price 

Desires and curiosities charm; 

Cheap warranties and hidden costs 

abound,

Claim more and more time, 

Impose a slavery without manumission. 

Passions owned tend to last and last,

As spellbound hearts chained 

To purchases from your past, 

Closed to requests for refunds and returns.

Stay focused on the real,

For time flies fast on tempting wings 

in one stubborn mortal direction.

And if your mind shops unfocused 

Resentments and envy will dominate

Full of regret for poor and unwanted 

bargains,

Bound now to your silver shopping cart

Forced to trudge into a cheap future.

THH

11/1/24

Take a moment 

Untangle arms and legs,

throw back the covers, 

Feel the sticky remains of love, 

get out of bed. 

March to the bathroom mirror 

Take a moment to see yourself:

Hair mussed after twisting about,

Cold water to awaken the face,

A washcloth to warm your skin, 

The morning chills bare feet, 

As your eyes take a moment for remembering.

Lick your lips —

Taste your night time pleasures, 

Recall the thrill,

The giving one to another

The joy of a rhythm as one.

Be still as your muscles and bones

Resonate with being held.

Stretch and flex your arms, 

hug your half dressed body

Rejoice in the echo of the moment.

Recall the surrender of your daytime face,

The giddiness of yes,

The dropping of worry and petty obligations

The letting go.

Then notice how separation invades

your senses; 

Standing alone

Watch distance rush the quiet morning,

Push work on routine drills, 

Blur your reflection on the night’s passion. 

Remember and look back 

Smile from inside out, 

Refuse to let the moment pass, 

Leap back in bed,

Pull the covers over your head 

Snuggle up against your lover’s skin,

if he protests the chill,

Kiss his eyes open.

Whisper —

Let’s do it again.

THH

10/29/24

open.substack.com/pub/tomhardin

Disasters storm across our lands these days: Rivers forget their banks, 

pour raging waters into our streets, 

wash out bridges, trash our treasures, leave us to cry in the dark.

Funny we never expect such happenstance.

Winds bend trees to breaking and limbs crash in rooftops, turn homes into unsurvivable wrecks —

Victims by tragic circumstance.

Overwhelmed by loss

And the muddy mess,

we fear what will come next:

Wonder just what we have reaped,

What seeds have been carelessly sown.

Times of struggle loom ahead 

Times of discomfort,

Little time to recover tattered remains,

We will have to make do with less.

But surprise awaits as people

gather on site, where we learn 

What neighbors are really like:

The ones with a flashlight,

The ones with chainsaws to clear debris, 

The ones with power, food, and a freezer to share,

The ones with brooms and shovels,

Ready to get down to it.

Ready to make the day worth living 

With helping hands to restore 

Better times for the rest.

Even people from far away places, 

People with unfamiliar faces 

show up at the door,

To make for us a hearty stew.

And in their love plainly demonstrated,

We find humanity at her best.

Tragic experience shatters norms.

Sufferings shared makes of desperate people one. 

The mystery of hope held in common, bends in one charitable direction

To make real corrections.

The blessing rarely spoken,

learned when disaster strikes, 

As you face frustration, worry and strife,

Is the joy brought by people who knock 

Twice; People waved at yesterday in passing, now offer a hand strong and lasting.

Neighbors you barely knew 

Become trusted friends: a whole new community for you.

The realization of solidarity and 

respect provides healing for human grief; the faithfulness restored by willing hearts, gives hope in spite of worldly distress, 

The unexpected grace of nevertheless.

THH

10/01/24

No matter how far you travel 

No matter where you go

The world she travels with you

And teaches lessons you need to know.

Some days are grey and cloudy,

others sunny with skies full of blue;

For along with joys and pleasure,

No matter if you are due,

The world she brews trouble,

And not a few heavy woes for you.

So when you hit the road 

Have friends at the ready 

To lighten up your load,

And bring you close together 

To share the love of living

And keep you steady as you go.

THH

9/23/24

A gentle shower begins to play.

Raindrops snap and pop 

on my tin roof;

Adventuring sounds,

Fading in and out,

Rushing tempos,

Slowing down,

Searching for chords, 

A warm up set.

Accompanied by a breezy horn,

Blowing jazz notes for emphasis,

Finger my skin,

Lay underneath the rain

A refrain that works with emotion.

The breeze and rain play counterpoint.

An ensemble of enchantment,

soothes aging ears 

with a syncopated sounds.

A rhythmic salve to thoughts pestering my brain, releasing the demons of what was and what might have been,

From another round of reasoning.

Tree frogs provide accompaniment,

As tears from father sky

bath bird and beast and

Quench the thirst of Mother Earth.

The land is a sponge.

And the tinkle of water 

performs its rooftop tunes,

Until the jazz fades,

Leaving nothing but rest.

THH

9/14/24

Today full of grace

Friends with ears open
A will to listen
A lesson in divine touch
Awakens ears
Opens hearts
Yearning to speak

THH
9/8/24

Be still

Really still, I’m told.

Sit alone 

Do nothing 

Slip off the engagement ring 

of speaking and directing,

Seek a space for listening.

Don’t think of what’s coming,

Plan nothing, 

Sit back,

Stop scrolling,

Make no sound,

Forget proposing.

Stay with silence, 

Empty as a chilled house 

So still I hear my heart beat 

Feel air blanket my aging skin 

Breathe life’s time in.

In this silence, I know so well,

my senses quiver,

bleed and blend, with 

Shouts at blameless walls 

Hear the echoes of sobs 

welling from within

Mocking my demands for

a magical accounting.

I tremble and crumble 

sling words at the page,

Know they fail to touch 

the depth of this reckoning.

Forget expectations,

Make no explanations, 

Create holy space to dwell

In between past directions 

and important questions.

Being still 

Really still 

In anticipation of some recognition,

A fool’s salvation,

As afternoon sunlight slides 

along the floor 

Leaving me to wonder

Is there anything more

To search for?

THH

9/9/24

Take time

She’s all you’ve got

Make believe she’s yours 

Even though she surely is not.

Use her while you can

Get to know her moves 

Always forward,

Never back.

Take time with her,

For she gives what she will,

And never rests.

But if you fail to take her to dance 

You commit a crime against chance.

Time gives nothing away.

She is never free;

She owes no debts,

But steals you blind, 

Day after day,

Expects you to follow her lead,

And yet for her we continue to pray.

Time never asks to dance

Time’s a bitch if you fail to use her,

She’s all you have

You never want to lose her.

Time is a queen. 

She reigns with authority,

Gives no thought to justice,

Refuses to number days,

She moves to a subtle beat, 

Then turns all you know to dust.

And leaves you behind.

Take time now 

While she will play with you 

Dance with her all you can,

Swing her around,

Smile at her while at play,

For sooner or later

No longer will you sway her.

Take time now while still able.

She is no clock to wind

Over and over,

And where you begin is not 

where on the dance floor 

you will end.

You do not own her.

You cannot control her.

She can’t be bought.

Time sings one mysterious song,

Writes her perfect bridge 

Invites you over.

Time offers no wisdom traveling east

She follows no star.

She cares nothing for the past,

or who you are,

But always has the last laugh.

So play along as long as she’s willing, 

Hold her loosely 

Follow her lead,

Always remember 

When you hold her close

It is certain one day 

She will leave.

Time is a witches brew

Serving potions of hope and despair, 

Love and pain,

Open to the spice of life, 

Showering senses with fire and ice. 

Take time while you may

She’s all you’ve got.

Time never lingers,

And no promises does she make.

Learn time’s siren song,

And sing along wisely.

For when her music ends

No goodbye will be proffered.

For time gives away nothing,

Remains coldly independent,

And at the bitter end 

When your time comes to an end,

And she slips soundlessly out the door

She leaves nothing

But your dust on the floor.

THH

9/2/24