Nicoletta Manns

I received this this morning and wanted to share it with you all. A poem by
Cynthia Long.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

~Nicoletta
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"It is paradoxical, yet true: Children are the most in
need of loving attention when they act the least
deserving of it!"
by Aletha Solter, 1998
from the article "Why Children Misbehave"
www.awareparenting.com
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This is an earlier poem perfect for the occasion. Happy Valentine's Day
everyone.

with love,
from Cynthia


LOVE POEM


Tell me of love

Love is
not what you think
not that for which you hunger
not that for which you kill
love is
not so far
not so difficult
not so dangerous
not such
a fragile thing
as if
built by human hands

Love is
a circle
not thinking
unimaginable freedom
from ourselves
love is
all the time
nothing like love songs
and better than love songs
love is
an opening
in the chest
in the body
in the mind
of the soul
love is
for absolutely
everyone
especially you
especially me

Love is
children
love is
god
love is
the child in me
the god in me
love is all
and all
is imperfect

Love is
timelessness
and aged
and new
love is, indeed
the most ancient
of knowledge
and love is
in the fear
of itself
fear of
its loss
fear of
anything other
than simply
now

Love is
different
from being in love
but being in love
is where we are
even when
we are unaware
or asleep
or afraid
or fooled into thinking
we are alone
for love is always
within our power
we need not wait
to receive
only notice
when it comes
love, accepted
from another

Close your eyes
observe
what you feel
it is again
within you
acknowledgment
becomes gratitude
becomes self-love
becomes all-love
in return
and all is reflected
in love given
for in truth
there is no highway
no passage to traverse
it is rather
a seed
a living core
we may choose to reveal
once the layers
decay
once the business
of the unconscious
is done

Then, if we allow
love
as the first kiss
as the first sip
of the first wine
love will hold us
forever
till the body itself
is done
and eternal consciousness
gathers us
infants again
in birth
in being
love