Archive
Memorial Day 2026: a poem
I’ve written about Memorial Day in my journal over the past few days. I took much of the weekend “off” to regroup, rest, recover, rejuvenate my reasons. I’ve thought about my poetry work, how it has been absent for some time. I am feeling reenergized to continue. Maybe my muse is returning; or maybe I’m beginning to listen more closely, to the silence.
Memorial Day seems to have become a day to celebrate wars. The wars of my time on the planet have been stupid, usually fought to a draw, or worse; always at a great loss of life. Today I’m celebrating my life, my family and the inner wars (I’ve termed them journeys) that take far more intelligence and courage to wage.
War is Stupid
A day to remember–
I remember a Mother,
Transplanted to this country
By her Mother.
She was a toddler;
Not free.
I remember a Father,
Removed from school
By his Father
To work the farm.
He was a teen;
Not free.
They fought no wars
But for their inner
And Family wars.
It is they who fought
For me.
They set me free.
Wars are fought
For territory, power, money.
Freedom is the cry of the victors;
Liberty, justice, the “Americal way.”
It’s all a fool’s way;
War is stupid.
The real heroes
Take inner journeys:
The territory of Peace is
Within the human heart;
The power to sustain the journey is Love;
The reward for the courage is Joy.
Fight no wars for me–
For my freedom, liberty, justice.
Take an inner journey of courage.
Find Peace within.
Let Love wash away all fears.
Find the Joy in human hearts.
You will find this is enough.
©2026 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
MONDAY’S POEM: Surrender
It’s been a heck of a week since my last poem post on Monday – quite a “journey”! But I am coming around and accepting the journey openly and with excitement! Stay tuned! Meanwhile I can only recommend:
Surrender
It is a struggle to let go
of everything that holds life
Together.
The ego doesn’t release easily
without a fight for its life
Together.
The pain of release can hold
on for years, life times, all
Together.
The call to surrender is not one
to follow a path of ease, but
Another.
The path of wisdom and compassion
for all sentient beings is distinctly
Another.
It is a path the ego rejects
out of blind fear of death, yes
Another!
Surrender; choose death for joy!
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
MONDAY’S POEM: Journey
Inner work. Intuition. Practice. Here’s part of the work, exposed for all who have ears:
Journey
Beyond the cave
Below the lake
Deep in the heart
Of the savannah
There is a gate.
Beyond the gate
Blow through space
Deep emptiness
In a Universe
Toward escape.
Beyond escape
Below the Star
Deep in the Soul
Of the Light Body
There is a Seed.
Beyond the Seed
Fed by the lake
Raised by the Star
Of the brightest light
There is a Man.
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: Moving Forward
With each sunrise your new day, your new life, begins. Every morning is an opportunity to make new choices about the direction in which your life will lead. Do you consider this when you wake up?
Or do you start your day with complaints? About not enough sleep, or aches and pains, or a long to-do list?
At this time in human history, you are being asked to step into your power and your purpose and propel yourself forward in the direction of your dreams. Yes, it is your dream and your vision of your future that pull you into that future. You can move into that vision or you can choose to stay in your present, fighting against the energy to move forward.
Believe it or not, it takes more energy to stay stuck than it does to move forward. You must fight the strong current of the energy of the Universe that wants to support your forward movement if you would keep everything as it is. When you surrender to the forces that carry you forward on your personal journey you will find the fulfillment that we all seek.
Decide today that you will choose to move forward in your life. When you wake up tomorrow, start your day with the thought, ‘How can I take a step forward along my path? What can I do today that helps me to grow, to advance in my consciousness, to understand something I’ve struggled with before, or to live my purpose more fully?’
This first decision is the hardest part. It’s much easier to pull the covers over your head and go back to sleep, literally or figuratively. But now is not the time to sleep. It is the time to awaken to the wonderful opportunities that abound in front of you.
This is not the time to look at the past and judge yourself harshly for not doing/doing something in the past. Today is a new day. Give yourself a pat on the back for opening to the awareness that there are opportunities in front of you and for making the decision to move forward in your life.
I recently came upon some notes from a while ago where I struggled with a problem that has cropped up again for me. Sometimes I think, ‘Haven’t I already dealt with this one?’ The answer I receive from my guides is often, ‘Yes, and now you have the opportunity to delve more deeply into this issue and to move yourself even farther forward.’
Our personal journeys are not linear – they do not go forward in a straight line. They spiral, around and around. And, if we are moving forward in our personal growth, we are able to see from a new perspective with each return of the spiral, to understand in a new way what we couldn’t see before. This is moving forward along our path of personal growth in consciousness.
Once you have awakened you cannot unlearn what you have learned. You might try to stand still but the energy within you leads you to move forward.
Keep growing. Keep moving. Reach in front of you for help from someone leaping ahead. Reach behind you to help someone who is moving more slowly.
Keep moving forward.
MONDAY’S POEM: Hello Grandpa
Last Monday I posted my poem “The Journey” about a trip I often take. On that trip I almost always see my grandfather’s skull. Sometimes we talk. This is one conversation:
Hello Grandpa
I see him on the sandy
Floor of the cave I visit.
He is nothing but bones now,
Just a skull, really,
Grinning there, guarding.
“Hello, Grandpa. I love you.
And, thanks for being here.”
He laughs through that grinning
Maw, hollow eyes alight with fire.
I can almost hear his whisper:
“No place to go! I am everywhere.
Good to see you too!” Eyes flare.
“You are grandpa too!
How’s that going?
Are you getting the hang of it?”
I stumble and look back.
These are no idle questions.
“It could be better. You are a
Perfect model. It starts with
Loving me as you loved me!”
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
Men and The Goddess 