"define expanse when freed," "faceless though seen," and "the dream lost"

define expanse when freed

from illusion in the evening
of impoverishment
 
a humble unknown pulls
from vest the pocketed hand
kerchief that unfolds filling
night with star clusters & orphans
 
standing before logic’s wall opposing
sealing off intuition’s vistas & love
 
rooted between this or that
uprooted tree of life lumbered
coffins for assassinated verbs
buried in graveyard of nouns
 
protecting against afterthoughts
logicians & spawn bow to demigod
indifference to unintended consequences
 
humble one directs metaphors
of opposites to collide cracking
open resistant doors hinges rusty
with fear of the light of lights or)e
is it of what upon its waves coasts
 
the crow from where no one knows
carrying in its beak white pebble
once caught in throat of big bang
 
lands on hermit’s shoulder
gifting condensed light
by consciousness’ long hand
 
carved symbols all is
not light but sound of
consciousness in silence

 


 

faceless though seen

in every face

silent though heard
in every sound
 
bodiless though embodied
in every archetype
 
waits hatching
in every heart
 
wearing for your comfort
a known divine costume
 
easter egg in its basket
handles n & w

 


 

the cloud of unknowing

a
mystery
some say
however
let
us
see
&
feel
it
as
divine mystery’s
soft forefinger on
the third eye eye lid
waits ego offering
of surrender
to
lift
off
opening
to
veils
of
light
known
along
bhakti
ch’an/zen
shaman
sufi
pathways
journeyed
within
on
our
blue
gem
 
a
choice
of
fire
from
wet
o)re
dry
straw

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Karl Kempton

Karl Kempton (https://www.karlkempton.net/) lives with his beloved wife, Ruth, in Oceano, California. His works are widely published nationally and internationally in anthologies and in over 60 titles including selected lexical & visual mathematical poetry 1976-2022 by Cold River Press. Awarded the Environmental Stewardship Award, 2024, by The Northern Chumash Tribal Council for his “advocacy for the Oceano Dunes and the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary … as an esteemed colleague and supporter for the environment.”