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lyrics

Lesson of the Garden

It is not my breath rustling the leaves.
I sit monochrome in the speckled light,
still as shade, almost awake. This morning,
everything has changed. Gleam on green,

last night's rain loads the labyrinth of leaves.
I watch clematis blue
stretch celestial.
Whether dusty sage or prickly pear sweet,

it's not my intention to change a thing,
to favor towering foxglove over
purslane's yellow bud or twisted clover.

A fleecy head of dandelion
harms not the noble, indigo iris.
Now that summer is finally upon us,

there is no need to name a thing a weed.
I hear the distant drone of mowers.
My neighbors scurry, scrape and pound.
The bursting burr, the cinnamon tendrils

of climbing rose, the pink-tipped petals
of bindweed blossoms, the healing echinacea,
all vibrate with sunlight, all have their niche, their time to flourish.
Where in this vibrant land is my place to thrive?
 
The answer surrounds me.
All that matters is to be truly wild,
to vine my heart around the roots of love:

unfurl the luminous lotus within.
Listen how the grass flattened by my feet
springs back to life as I walk away.

credits

from Into Light: The Poems of M. D. Friedman, released January 1, 2024

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Mad Dog Friedman | Mad Dog Blues | Peddlers of Joy image

Mad Dog Friedman | Mad Dog Blues | Peddlers of Joy Lafayette, Colorado

Mad Dog writes from the moment and sings from his heart. His influences include sources as divergent as William Butler Yeats & the delta blues. His songwriting is sincere, simple & often humorous. He has recorded many solo & collaborative projects featuring his spontaneous compositions on harmonica, Native American flute & Theremin. He is also the founder of Mad Dog Blues & The Astral Project. ... more

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