Ojai in Our Hearts

(Group Poem from the 2009 Ojai Valley Poetry Fest)
[Note: hover your cursor over a stanza to see the author's name]

We have found the light of reason to read by in our hearts—
yet some words in this ghazal might mystify our hearts.

Ancient paths entice us into the primitive pulse of this lush garden.
The poetic call and response of bird songs echo from the mountains and fly into our hearts.

Bushy-tailed kitten, curled at my feet like art.
From the camphor tree a new, young squirrel peers through my window,
chattering to terrify the sleeping cat—oh smile, our hearts!

Oh moccasin mountains of oak and sage, how you drum the valley
en-chant,
weaving a nest of sweet broom prayer, soft and dry in our hearts.

Laboring, neighboring Latinos,
we lock the door to our hearts.
KKK reigning, homelessness ignored,
money, class, privilege stupefy our hearts.

Twisted spirits trip, fall, look up & see
the brown-green generous nest on both sides.
Invaded by round orange friends against the sky inside our hearts.

Sing, dark angel, to the firefly in my eye,
Behind you, mountains dance as if they had a heart.

The sweat that trickles down the east-west valley between my breasts
quickens.
To miss that hot pink moment horrifies my heart.

We sit grouped together in the silent yellow room
as the structure of ghazal goes awry in our hearts.

Spring sage smell pierces our minds.
Your blossoms open; they magnify in our hearts.

People breaking words together under oaks
don't deny divinity, breathe, feast
Sunlights our opening hearts.

A three-year-old ballerina giggles there up high.
Cut granite wears a pink Ojai tutu in our hearts.

Oh place of memories, of learning & first experiences.
You beckon me with the merest whisper, the lullaby in my heart.

Ojai is what it is and what it's not.
Broken and injured by love, it stultifies our hearts!

The balm that soothes, the dagger's tip,
Words heal and seal and try our hearts.

A light shines brightly in the spirit
In the quiet valley you can hear it
Listen to the whisper of the inner voice
Where the presence of soul petrifies my heart

After building fiery couplets both sweet and dark,
we will fly home tonight with Ojai in our hearts!