Jocelyn Van Bokkelen

I am Taurus
I am the Bull
Also I am the Buffalo
The one who roamed here long ago
I've seen the moon through cycles go
I've seen warm valleys wet with snow
Many a thing has come and gone
And yet my spirit does live on
I was here when the planet was new
And the beings here were few
I crawled up out of the earth one day
And saw the sun who lit my way
On fantastic journeys shore to shore
I've been on since days of yore.

In your gentleness
I was disarmed
In your kindness
I was encouraged
In your humility
I learned trust
Through love
Lies the path
of enlightenment

Will you let me be sappy at you just this once?
I know that nothing will ever become if it
but unexpressed feelings are such a son of it-
yes, I am rather head over heels in it
so I'll take this occasion to just come out with it
hey, so I love you, not much you can do with it
but laugh, shake your head, and enjoy it!

When you're with someone you love
You loose your self in a maze of bliss
There are many false starts in the fabric you weave
And most peoples journey starts out like this.
Don't ever expect smooth seas to prevail
Only sometimes the wind will billow your sail
Even when you're going like a well oiled machine
The gears want to lock and ruin your dream
For meshing with someone is not what it seems
In order to gain sometimes you must loose
To add extra stuffing you must tear the seam
And stuff yourself differently if it's what you choose
To share yourself freely with some other sort
With whom you've developed a loving rapport.

Mow, mow, mow your fields
mowing all day long
listen to the diesel run
on and on and on

Plow, plow, plow your fields
slowly down the row
turn the big, fat earthworms up
as green gives way to brown

Till, till, till your fields
bumping all the while
till it 'till we bump no more
and have smoothed out the soil

plant, plant, plant your fields
spreading out the seed
then sit down and watch it grow
until a weed you see

Weed, weed, weed your seed
So it can grow so tall
Till and hoe and weed by hand
Until your back is sore

Pick, pick, pick your crops
Pick it while it's ripe
Pick and eat and pick and sell
Until there is no more

Is this house a home
Or is this home a prison
It was the right thing at the right time
But now the time has changed
And this thing leaves me wanting
Waiting for a smile

We used to work side by side
But now we hardly smile
You say that you love me
And I reply in kind
But it's a pale and hollow feeling
To what we left behind

I sit here and I wonder
If this is all there is
Or if circumstance will change me
Beyond the here and now

In the north there is a tree
Hear and please bring form to me
The Goddess Gaia she lives there
Hail and welcome, lady fair

In the east the sin does rise
Renewing fire in our eyes
The Phoenix rises after night
Bid you welcome with delight

In the south the wind does blow
And many things that is does know
>From there comes the Unicorn
Hail and welcome, purest born

In the west the water flows
As great feelings come and go
Mermaid coming from the deep
Hail and welcome, to us speak

The Sacred Flame burns within
Each and all of everything
I feel it running through my blood
I see it in my neighborhood
The Tree that's growing in my yard
Reaching upward to the Stars
The Ocean crashing on the Rocks
The Crow, the Eagle and the Fox
All of these are joined by It
The Sacred Flame of Goddess' lips

As our planet wobbles round again
The star it's nearest to
It's time to take a moment's pause
To see the bright reflection from
The human stars around
Our nearest friends and family
And also those afar
Who keep us going day by day
By what they do and say
Remember to give thanks to them
As the sun shines bright again

Somewhere in my thoughts you roam
never really far from home
the sparkle of a sunny day
moonlight that just lights my way
somewhere in my thoughts you roam
bringing peace, becoming known.

Sweet spring rain warm on my face
Promising summers return
Flowers are coming
Streams are running
The sun gets brighter each day
Sweet warm rain
On a dark spring night
Wakes me from winters sleep
And stirs my feet to dance
To dance in the warm spring rain

To dance in the warm spring rain
Feeling the big fat drops
Fed by the sky
The earth opens wide
Turning darkness to green
A thing to be felt and be seen

A thing to be felt and be seen
The rain in the warming spring
The leaves are all ready from bud-tips to spring
The flowers emerge from their sleep
Drinking the rain like they ne're had a drop
As the Earth spring to life once again
And I dance in the warm spring rain

I dance in the warm spring rain
Like I never have danced before
Washed by the water
Warmed by the moon
Light as the wind in the willows
My feet dance the earth
And bring forth the color
Of summers returning once more

Thank You
stuck between a feeling and a thought
that space where words, they fear to tread
lies a hope that you will know
and not take lightly what I say
words that some do use most casually
as afterthought or simply politely
I say to you with feeling mere words
could not ever hope express
simple things, a "thank you"
fraught with such significance
"I am forever in your debt" and yet
simple things, for you but
not for me. I learn. I hope in time.

The sun sank, unseen
Behind expectant clouds
The wind blew in a somber ending
To a watchful day

I am a tree

I always stand tall, arms outstreched to the fire
Welcoming warmth of the God of the pyre
Firmly implanted, roots deep in the soil
By the Earth Goddess, feet anointed with oil
So also I'm nourished by wind and by water
Each day I'll return all that I aught to
For life I am given by the elements four
Each must I return to the wick forest floor.

-----------------------

I
There is a feeling in my soul
that i've never felt before
it was something hiding deep inside
behind long forgotten hidden door
i used to think that i did know
what love was before this date
till up the garden path you walked
and did swing wide that lonley gate
i guess i really hadn't known
intensity that dear
until you opened up my eyes
allowed me to come near
a score of years i've thought and thought
of what this thing might be
in my head i thought i knew
you opened up my heart to see
my eyes are open wider now
to see the world anew
brighter is my spirits fire
much thanks to blessed you.

II
There's a journey never ending
winding through the forest floor
each little plant is quite unique and yet
the next one's always clearer than the one before
every peice is special
every peice is rare
without them all i'm sure i'd be
in a dark despair.

His two cloven hooves pranced the ground with delight
his tail strummed a harp like a feathery kite
'tween his hands the sweet enchanting lute
on the table a bowl overflowing with fruit
sing along with me, dance up a storm
the great Pan is waiting to ring in the morn'.

The face of the maiden, innocent be
fair and sweet and round is she.
The face of the mother, tender and true
works hard to bring the best to you.
The face of the crone, wrinkeled and worn
into age, wisdom finally borne.

Shadows rise and shadows fall
a glimpse of this behind the wall
a shifting here, a shifting there
Can't really tell exactly where
silently I sit and wait
the veil to lift from mind's eye's gate
so celarer can the vision be
of all of IS in harmony.

I draw my circle tight around me
East and South and West and North
First the Wind that gives us Air
then the firey Sun we share
Western Water with drops of rain
Falls to the earth and grows our grain
I draw my cicrle tight around me
the elements four protect and guide me
as I say "so mote it be."

orange yellow red white
gives heat, gives light
can't turn water into wine
that's OK, you're still mine

west north east south
what is all the fuss about
we are only here a while
come and rest by my fire

in the heat of my existence
fire is all that goes the distance
all the way into my soul
reaches out to one and all

what are you thinking now
am I madder than a cow?
is this drivel driving you
to the long end of the que

(refrain)
You bale 46 tons and what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
One eye in the front and another behind
Dry hay in the wagon is a gold mine

(1)
I was born one morning when the sun shine so bright
Went to my tractor and I started to drive
Lay down that hay just as neat as you please
Watch the sun dry it and pray for no rain

(2)
I was born one morning, not a cloud in sight
Hay down in the field dry as a desert night
Start up my baler with a great cloud of dust
Bale up that hay from noon until dusk

A simple word and off we go
The hooves in rhythm 'neath me fly
As birds above in freedom's sky
No breaks in stride, over somehow
The fences no longer restrict us now
With birds we share the sky's domain
Yet hopping in snow with rabbits remain
Each beat less then a second split
Eternity reaching each one to it
Freedom of flight is freedom found
And I fly here on the ground
On a loamy path we walk
Autumn leaves and nature's talk
Through the river, over rocks
Slowly now the deer come close
Unafraid of their own kin
But now the sun is sinking low
Homeward bound I need not steer
The steed who carries gently dear
Knows every rock and every hole
On every path he takes me home

In front of darkened depths leap throngs of light
Encircling its charred fuel with potent heat of might;
Consuming all and leaving none to slowly cry
In its wake all are destined ever to die.
Yet it sheds light to show the powerful ways
And show the right from wrong forever and always;
Crackling and sizzling like some mighty Godly whip
Disobeyers into the deathly hell may dip.
The battle never done as long as man lives on
Nevermore can earth be gentle as the dawn;
We fight and struggle for some answer yet unknown
That someday we might base our lives purpose upon.
The ray of knowledge keeping up our fight
Controlling fire heating up our night.
-Joc

Arise, arise, awake the sun is rising
Arise, arise, awake the spring is calling
Fling open the shutters, rise up the sash
Feel the breeze warming, see the birds dash
Arise, arise, awake the spring is rising
Arise , arise, awake the day is calling

Today it's only me and thee
with nothing in between
no straps of leather on your back
no steel in your mouth
just my hand my hand upon your neck
and my heel on your side
I speak to you so softly
it's amazing you can hear
yet you always do agree
and follow where I steer
even though you're taking me.

You're twelve hundered pounds of horseflesh
standing tall between my knees
you could take me anywhere
that you ever please
I trust you to be gentle
I trust you to be kind
and carry me to rapture
as if you read my mind.

This is not a bill.
This is not a letter
from a collection agency.
This is not a reminder
to brush your teeth,
or comb your hair,
or clean your room.
This is not a statement
from the bank,
saying you are overdrawn.

This is a credit memo.
This is a letter
of thanks.
This is a reminder
that I care about you.
This is a statement
of trust.
And it is in your mail.

Close the door
Look around
Now forget
Where you are
Is in my hand
In my arms
On the tip of my tongue
Caressing your ear
Gently speaking
In a silent language
Saying I love you

Things which must be buried deep inside
Poke around the corners trying not to hide
Even though the gaps are always taken up
With actions to keep filling plate and cup
For each and every time an idle moment stirs
Thoughts come through a hole and vision blurs
Contemplating things which may not be
Actions past are today's reality

Confused and lonely
Only
Much to far away
To stay
Reality a vision
Collision
Out of fantasy's mind
To find

I am a drop of rain
But also all the oceans
I am a gentle summer breeze
And the winter gales
I am one tree in the forest
But the whole forest too
I am a star high above
And I am the milky way
I have but one soul
Yet each is a part of me.

I stand in your midst
And am not consumed
Warmed by your caress
And wholly transformed
Not one to the other
Or back to the mother
But brighter and lighter
The spirit grows higher
Until the power within
Shines as brightly without.

There is a hallway in my mind
Down, down I go into the darkness
Down the stairs uncountable
At the end there is a door
There really should be something more
Than a crack at the bottom
If I kneel upon the floor
Peering through the crack I see
The valleys of my mind
Skeletons walking, talking
Whispering, wearing sneakers
But the grass is green, rolling hills
As far as my eye can see
Peering under the door
I want to fling this door wide up
Ask those skeletons what for
But as I do I see
Only darkness.

I
Beneath the shadow of the hawk
the furrow opens
rolls over green to shades of brown

Beneath the shadow of the hawk
seeds are scattered
smooth brown earth giving way to green

Beneath the shadow of the hawk
grain reaches upward
green baking to gold in the sun

Beneath the shadow of the hawk
food is gathered
parting golden straw for greener grass

Poetry