The Big Parade (new poem)

The Big Parade (new poem)
by Tim Kavi

If life is like a big parade

sometimes we watch it

without joining in

other times we walk in it,

swimming to the rhythms

of the marching band

sometimes we drive in it

twirl batons in it

prancing to the drums in it

we dance and clown in it

shake and shimmy in it

or throw candies to the crowd

but we must always

revel in it,

for in the Big Parade

we are marching, 

just for the fun of it!

Poet's Afterword--as we head into November, I'm always looking forward to a big parade, like they have here in NY on the holiday, (as you might see in the film, Miracle on 34th Street; 1947) or in the streets of your town. In this simple poem, (as a departure for me), we have a simple message, perhaps a double meaning, but I hope you'll join me in the celebration of our mutual existence, in the Big Parade!--Namaste, TK.

Chance Encounters Across the Narrow Ridge (New Poem)

Chance Encounters Across the Narrow Ridge (New Poem)
by Tim Kavi

walking there whether in spirit

or in my body

my shadow grows in the illuminated light

or even the darkened night

yet, there are two souls there;

a single glance across the crowded terminal

or beside the rusted iron of a forgotten bridge,

the quiet collision of two strangers

where the noise of the world collapses

into the singular geometry of an I and a Thou.

it happens across the sprawling arc of a lifetime,

in the slow accumulation of decades

when paths cross once and never again,

leaving a permanent echo in the ribs.

it happens across the rotation of a year,

in autumn light striking a doorway

where a brief conversation alters the weather of the mind,

turning an ordinary Tuesday into a landmark.

it happens over the tightening rings of weeks,

at the corner of a market or a dim library aisle,

when a paused step and a shared question

open a door that cannot be shut.

sometimes it is compressed into a single day,

an afternoon spent talking with someone;

one whose name is never learned,

yet whose presence reorders the internal landscape completely.

and sometimes it shrinks down further,

into a minute or two of eye contact on a halting train,

a sudden suspension of routine

where destiny makes its quiet, undeniable call:

to recognize the infinite dignity of another breathing soul

before the doors slide open

and the crowd sweeps you back into the current.

where life comes calling

kindred souls, or someone so different

you would never have dreamed of knowing

there is the light of the sacred YOU

the being I am called to know.

More About Goddesses: Demeter, the Greek Personification of Sacred Nourishment and Maternal Renewal (New Column)

More About Goddesses: Demeter, the Greek Personification of Sacred Nourishment and Maternal Renewal by Tim Kavi

Among the deities of the Greek pantheon, few offered a vision as foundational, enduring, and deeply tied to human survival as the goddess Demeter. Revered as the personification of agricultural abundance, sacred law, and the life-giving harvest, Demeter occupied a vital role in Greek consciousness, particularly in the sacred relationship between humanity and the earth. More than merely a goddess of grain, she embodied the profound cycles of loss, devotion, and the triumphant return of vitality. Through her history, symbolism, and enduring archetypal meaning, Demeter offers timeless instruction about the nature of grief, the necessity of stewardship, and the transformative power of unconditional love.

Demeter’s origins are deeply woven into the elemental order of the universe, born to the Titans Cronus and Rhea as one of the original Olympian deities. Her lineage is significant; she stands alongside Zeus, Poseidon, and Hera as a primal force that established civilized life on Earth. Unlike many of the more distant or combative Olympians, Demeter was intimately connected to the soil and the daily labor of mortals. To the Greeks, she was the giver of sacred laws (Thesmophoros) and the mother who taught humanity the art of agriculture, transforming raw nature into a sustainable foundation for community and culture.

Mythologically, Demeter is best known for her central role in the myth of her daughter Persephone, who was abducted into the Underworld by Hades. Grief-stricken and furious, Demeter withdrew her favor from the earth, causing crops to wither and bringing forth the world’s first winter. This mythic pairing—and their eventual reunion—is profound: it explains the rhythmic change of the seasons and asserts that life, death, and rebirth are inextricably bound. In the ancient imagination, her influence was honored through the sacred Eleusinian Mysteries, secret rituals that promised initiates spiritual renewal and hope beyond death, recognizing that the journey into darkness is often the prelude to spiritual growth.

Demeter’s significance lies in her function as a bridge between the nurturing power of the earth and the emotional landscape of the human soul. She represents the archetype of the Great Mother, whose boundless love nurtures creation, but whose righteous boundary demands respect for life's sanctity. While other gods presided over domain, conflict, or craft, Demeter governed the primary sustenance that allowed human life to endure. She was the divine warmth and maternal presence through which civilization was fed, rooted, and spiritually anchored.

As an archetype, Demeter represents the capacity for fiercely dedicated love and the resilience needed to survive profound disruption. She teaches that devotion requires active engagement, and that true growth often emerges after periods of barrenness and sorrow. She is the voice that insists on honoring our emotional truths and the wisdom to recognize that life cannot bear fruit without careful tending. Demeter does not ask for empty submission; she invites us to cultivate deep patience within ourselves so that nourishment—both physical and spiritual—can flourish once more.

Psychologically and spiritually, Demeter instructs us about the importance of honoring seasons of grief and dormancy. She embodies the sacred pause required before rebirth can take place, reminding us that winter is not an ending, but a necessary preparation for spring. Her presence reminds us that emptiness is often the precursor to new growth, and that nurturing ourselves and others is essential to maintaining psychological balance. Through her grief and ultimate restoration, she demonstrates that even after the deepest loss, life possesses an innate and invincible drive to bloom again.

In the modern world, Eirene’s sister-spirit Demeter endures as a vital archetype of ecological responsibility, motherly archetype, and personal resilience. She reminds us that our connection to the earth is sacred, that true strength lies in devotion rather than dominance, and that the cycles of life require us to honor both the fallow seasons and the harvest. As the Greek goddess of agriculture and sacred renewal, Demeter stands not merely as a relic of antiquity, but as a necessary guiding principle for any age, reminding us that love, grief, and rebirth are the fundamental forces that sustain the human spirit.

To the Lofty Places I Seek (new poem)

To the Lofty Places I Seek (a poem of longing)

by Tim Kavi

 across the withered plains

there are currents in the sand

marks of played out destinies

gleaming in the desert sun

burning like flames consume a book

my knowledge had become desolate

quaking at the power of Nature

searching with a lapping tongue

looking for, and 

desperately seeking

the oceans of your love

so O goddess

fill the Earth

with the fruits of your being

let the dancers, rejoice

let the singers, sing

and let the poets speak.

for great cedars shall grow

where once it was desolate

and hearts frozen cold

shall beat again; in the power

of your love.

we are your plantings

your magnificent colors

in the canvasses of your light

quaking in the sight

blinking in a bright night

seeking

desperately seeking

your Face

I feel it

shadowy images on the Cave's wall

the musty scent of your myrrh

and the lasting permanence

of She who draws near

I embrace you Goddess

ever knowing my place

walking softly

behind you

beholding you in your full grace

hide me beneath your robe

close to your heart

your life and breath

beats like the drums

of my existence

yet my tongue is parched

longing

so longing for you

and finding you

thirsty in my night

seeing only You

a winged Seraphim

a gliding Owl

a circling hawk

and a majestic eagle

I long to be your prey

My Goddess

I arise early

to the lofty places where

I seek only You

and in the morning

I find myself awake again

fully alert

enlightened

and hungry for your love

until there is no more

to be found or given

full to the brim

in the happiness

of You and all there is

I will sing then

dance in the street

move my feet

to the heavenly beat

until your breath

revives

restores

resuscitates

reverberates

renumerates

I am made full 

only in You

so I seek You

and love you

adore you

my Goddess!!

do you hear my birdlike cries?

my longings for you

and your love?

Answer me quickly...

He Ain't Heavy, He's MY Brother (reposted story poem)

 You know, I often write about relationships, dialogue, and the importance of feminine aspects and energy. My poems are all about goddesses as archetypes and guiding voices and forces against patriarchy.  But there is a special quality that families and life also have on the male side of things.

Brothers have a very powerful supportive influence within a family that can last into adulthood and throughout our lives. And that's the way it is between my brothers and I. I have a lot of fond memories in my family, and I am the youngest of three brothers. Last evening, my middle brother passed away. I love him so, and he has meant so much to me throughout my life...

Prayers would be appreciated as we mourn his passing.

Some years back I wrote a poem on this blog about my brother Dave....  and here it is,,, Dave...rest in peace and God be with you! ~~~Namaste--my brother

Little David and the Dancing Monkey

by Tim Kavi

when across the eddying

spheres of time

there is an existence in

a moment

between young and old

is it the generations

talking?

or just me myself

longing for something I knew

or making sense of what

I am taught

the clever young minstrel did sing

and dance

doing battles for the great

and good

on a journey to the West

Are you me?

The minstrel asked.

No, I am Sun Wukong.

I use my skills

like this...swoosh swoosh

swoosh!

I see! Said the minstrel

preparing his stringed

instrument

I am named after you, though

I am your nephew

Little David

Uncle David smiled

chuckled

and said: You were dancing

quite a bit

let me sing you a song

while you rest

Oh? You play the guitar!

My father told me

Oh, what a treat!

It is my own Journey to the West

while my guitar gently weeps

playing notes of blest or blast

roaring like a stratocaster

but please be calmed

and like a David and his harp

soon the notes filled the air

with sweet sounds

of poetry flying there

the young Sun Wukong

could not stop himself

he danced and twirled

like some Dervishes

from another place

"I can tell you are a legend

You should never settle for less

hang on to the skirt of existence

such preciousness in Guan Yin

rises to meet you

and bless"

Uncle David did sing!

while the prettiest sounds

that little boy

ever heard

the Fender did bring

and when the song ended

the little dancer

that Monkey King

had tears in his eyes

Oh Uncle David!

You sing so nice.

Thank you so much!

Uncle David smiled

No problem, he said

at that moment

Little David's father

entered the room

Father! Father!

Uncle David sang me a song

and played his guitar

You were right!

Yes son, life is great

art and love

and family and truth

are all around us

to Uncle, father said

Thank you!

It's great to see you!

Uncle David smiled

Father said

Little David's mother

had prepared

an evening meal

a supper for a dancing monkey

a skilled minstrel

a poet father

two brothers

and a clever child

Father??

Yes son?

After supper

may I show Uncle David

my moves

with my monkey stick?

Yes son,

but please be careful

you can put an eye out

with that thing!

everyone laughed.

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More About Goddesses: Eirene, the Greek Personification of Peace and Harmonious Renewal (New Column)

 More About Goddesses: Eirene, the Greek Personification of Peace and Harmonious Renewal by Tim Kavi

Among the deities of the Greek pantheon, few offered a vision as essential, restorative, and forward-looking as the goddess Eirene. Revered as the personification of peace and the spirit of the spring, Eirene occupied a vital role in Greek consciousness, particularly in the aftermath of conflict. More than merely an absence of war, she embodied the ideals of societal stability, prosperity, and the harmonious flourishing of life. Through her history, symbolism, and enduring archetypal meaning, Eirene offers timeless instruction about the nature of order, the necessity of growth, and the transformative power of tranquility.

Eirene’s origins are rooted in the cosmic order, as one of the Horae—the goddesses of the seasons and natural cycles—born to Zeus and the Titaness Themis, the embodiment of divine law and justice. Her lineage is significant; she did not exist in a vacuum but was the natural fruit of law and governance. Unlike many of the more tempestuous Olympians, Eirene was a steadying force, often associated with the burgeoning potential of spring. To the Greeks, she was the inevitable result of justice properly applied, the serene manifestation of a world aligned with its natural purpose.

Mythologically, Eirene is best known for her iconic depictions in art, most famously in the sculpture by Cephisodotus the Elder. She is portrayed as a graceful woman holding the child Plutus, the god of wealth. This pairing is profound: it asserts that true prosperity is not the product of conquest or accumulation, but the direct child of peace. In the Athenian imagination, her influence was not passive; after a significant naval victory over Sparta, the city established an official state cult in her honor, complete with altars and sacrifices. This was a sophisticated recognition that peace is a fragile, divine gift that must be actively nurtured and invited back into the city-state.

Eirene’s significance lies in her function as a bridge between the divine and the human. She represents the "golden age" potential of society, where agricultural abundance, intellectual achievement, and social harmony can coexist. While other gods oversaw the mechanics of war, the harvest, or the hearth, Eirene presided over the conditions that allowed all other aspects of life to thrive. She was the environment in which civilization could breathe.

As an archetype, Eirene represents the capacity for reconciliation and the commitment to renewal. She teaches that peace is not merely the cessation of hostilities, but an active state of being that requires the maintenance of equilibrium. She is the quiet voice that insists on dialogue over destruction and the wisdom to recognize that wealth and stability are unsustainable without the foundation of harmony. Eirene does not demand; she invites us to cultivate the soil of our lives so that prosperity—represented by her ward, Plutus—can flourish.

Psychologically and spiritually, Eirene instructs us about the importance of internal alignment. She embodies the stillness required to resolve inner conflicts and the patience needed to allow growth to occur. Her presence reminds us that tension is often a symptom of imbalance, and that restoring order—to our relationships, our communities, or our own minds—is the most productive path forward. While her myths do not feature the dramatic clashes of her siblings, their absence is her strength; she demonstrates that the most powerful force in the universe is the one that allows life to continue, bloom, and prosper.

In the modern world, Eirene endures as a vital archetype of sustainable progress and collective well-being. She reminds us that security is not found in dominance, that prosperity is hollow without peace, and that the seeds of the future are sown in the quiet moments of harmony. As the Greek goddess of peace, Eirene stands not merely as a relic of antiquity, but as a necessary guiding principle for any age, reminding us that tranquility is the ultimate sign of a society—and a soul—in true alignment.