Sit with me
in the quiet circle of home,
let the outside drizzle
accentuate the warmth within
Join me virtually
if not in person,
for we all need
to feel companioned
And we all need
to feel the final welcome
that profoundly celebrates
how we are treasured,
the endless scope of where we are essential,
the boundless coziness of where we all belong.
©Wendy Mulhern
August 26, 2018
I’m walking through the city park,
my face full of sun —
My mind dips back suddenly
to another such time,
long ago,
when I was craving innocence,
not knowing then
what I know now,
that it is not a property of youth
or of maturity either, for that matter
It is that which is never effaced
by the surface of things,
that which we remain
to the core
through all the changes
that pass through us,
that which I can bask in,
then as now,
that which centers me
in ever present home.
©Wendy Mulhern
March 26, 2018
Happy to have home, and be home
happy for warmth
and the restitching of friendships,
happy for time together
and the space to be open-hearted,
happy for peace within
Happy for sunshine with crisp, cold edges,
happy for walking beneath blue sky,
happy for trees and their timeless embrace,
happy for miracles.
©Wendy Mulhern
February 22, 2018
This is a place where everyone can come
to feel comforted, refreshed, cherished,
this is a garden where you can come
and be affirmed. This is a garden
where your presence is wanted, needed,
this is a garden for tasting peace
Outside the walls, there may be harsh winds,
outside the gate, there may be predators,
but inside, you can feed
on what builds up your spirit,
you can grow strong enough
to venture anywhere.
©Wendy Mulhern
February 10, 2018
We will walk out of that house
and maybe leave the sadness behind,
let it become the emptiness
that calls out to another family
Let them imagine
filling the space,
growing up into it,
finding its secrets
and making their own
while we walk
into our new life
surprisingly unencumbered.
©Wendy Mulhern
January 24, 2018
Peaceful as evening,
as a fire-warmed house
and brisk fresh air outside,
low crescent moon
among the branches
Peaceful as being clean
after a hard day’s work,
this glow has settled over me
It lets me know
there never was a way
I could fail at my life,
foolish though I may have been,
innocent as I may ever be
All I’ve been given
was given with love,
and I have received it
with enough grace
that I can feel where it comes from.
I can receive it
as deeply as this peace.
©Wendy Mulhern
January 22, 2018
In the place of home
named Who You Are,
nothing ruffles you
You will still hear
the raging outside,
you will see the great array
of arguments and power plays
that say you should be
scared and cowed and battered
But yours will be the peace
of being untouched
by anything that’s not your maker,
unplayed
by anything that’s not
your sweet musician,
unmoved by anything
except the grand harmonic motion
that defines you, new in every moment,
that delights you in the humming
of your being.
©Wendy Mulhern
January 19, 2018
You may protest
my use of the words “sweet doodeloo”
but I am happy
that you sit with your guitar in hand
and music comes out,
notes coming home
like family,
like lights in the house,
and being together
in the flavor of
one last time
or better
in the flavor of
as it will always be.
©Wendy Mulhern
December 24, 2017
When you’re coming across the land
towards the city — the barren, arid land
from which the city can be seen afar,
when you’re riding through the heat,
clouds of dust around you,
we will not wait for your approach
from within the city’s walls
We will send messengers to greet you.
They will wash your feet, robe and crown you,
bring you celebrated into the city
so you will know how to be with us,
so you’ll be included in our peace.
©Wendy Mulhern
December 5, 2017
The rain beats down on houses,
people inside staying dry,
the rain beats down on cars,
splashing through, headed home,
the rain beats down on heads
on their pathways
towards their chosen shelters,
the rain beats down
on those who have none
And every one of these is worthy,
and every one of these deserves a home
and every one of these deserves redemption
from whatever made them feel they were alone
The rain may fall
but no judgment
falls upon the heads
of those who find themselves
here in this state of consciousness,
here where their blessing precedes them.
©Wendy Mulhern
November 8, 2017