Nat the Gnat

As I walked along on my mid-day stroll
Enjoying the springtime sky
I glanced down at my swinging arm
And a tiny black speck caught my eye

I had a little gnat on my finger
Well, actually, he was on my arm
But I gently nudged him with my thumb
Not wanting to do him any harm

I thought he needed some encouragement
But instead of flying away
He crawled up onto my thumbnail
And there he decided to stay

I waited for him to lift off
as gnats are known to do
but there he stayed affixed
as if he were attached by glue

I thought, "Perhaps he is tired
and just needs a place to rest..."
sure that an attempt to remove him
would result in his untimely death
I walked with my thumb sticking out
to remind me of his fragile presence there
lest I inadvertently crush
the life I intended to spare

At first it was a bit awkward to walk
with my thumb stuck out a tad
but I guess I got used to the feeling
and, it really wasn't that bad

So I continued my mid-day walk
And on I walked for awhile
Thumb sticking out, gnat holding on tight
The thought of it made me smile

Into a comfortable stride I settled
My companion in tow… well, finger
I decided I would give him a name
If his intention was to linger

What about Nathan, "Nat" for short?
It seemed appropriate to me
But alas - this new formed friendship
was just not meant to be

For while my mind was occupied
My arms began to sway,
And my little friend, Nat the gnat
Just up and flew away

The end.

~Batyah Raphaelle-Grande (2009)

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Dancing on a Narrow Bridge

We belong to the Eternal
We are light
We are children of Light

We are dancing on a narrow bridge
Push
Hold-on
Jump
Each must choose
Moment by moment

Children of Light dancing on a narrow bridge
Choosing
Onward, onward, onward
Extend a hand
Reach back
Reach forward
Hold-on

Interlocking fingers
Chain of light
As far as the eye can see

(if you are wondering what the poem is about, it is about the fragility of life...how we decide moment by moment what to do with that moment and in that moment - whatever comes our way, whatever our circumstance...we can choose to be selfish and hurtful (push), we can hold our ground, do what needs to be done, embrace others (hold-on) - or we can simply give up, allow defeat to swallow us (jump). In the end, we are all on a journey on this tiny planet, all of us Children of Light...if only we would see the light in ourselves and one another, if only we would hold on to one another, keep one another from slipping over the edge, show love, abolish strife...we could make a chain of light that encompasses the globe. This may never come, but this is my vision of "The Messianic Age".)

~Batyah Raphaelle-Grande (December 2009)