MOMMA HOLLI'S MEDITATION

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR

feed the hungry, clothe the naked
and manage the monotnous.

my downstairs neighbor has trouble with her sleep routine
and has casually, politely mentioned that i disrupt her rest
when i clomp across the floor in my boots.
so,
i wait to put them on until i'm headed out the door
and  take them off when i get home.

i do my wild, aerobic dancing on tip toe
in front of saturday morning cartoons
and tuesday night info commercials.

all is well.

then there is my  "ninja-neighbor"
who has a way of appearing, dis appearing,
then suddenly re-appearing
in a variety of costumes and disguises,
constantly surprising and bewildering me.

i simply remember
she is she, they are they
and i am  me.

this is good.

love doesn't always feel
safe, comfortable, thrilling or pleasant.
love is an action verb
that defines and clarifies
energy and existence,

kinda like
coloring outside the lines
or mistakenly amputating
the left foot from your paper doll cut out.

i just wonder
if washing my dishes
or making oatmeal cookies
at 3 in the morning
to the gentle throb of bob dylan
is going to   disturb    my  neighbors?

you just go right ahead and squawk
silly ol' jay bird,
yeah, you squawk.

breakfast is served.