Photo Poems
At the beginning of 2018, I read through my journal for the previous year and pulled out words that felt important for me to remember—reminders of what's true.
I formed those words into poems and collected them in a book I call Advice for Me and Maybe You.
I also took some of these poems and hand wrote them on photographs I’ve taken.
When you do an amazing
thing, acknowledge
that it was
really God
doing it
through you.
That way, you can
continue to
not do
amazing things.
Good, easy, and true.
We, in the West,
don’t think they go together.
We think
an honest
day’s work is hard.
To be good, we have
to sacrifice.
We made up a story
about how God did this
with his only son.
One son?
For God?
Really?
don’t think they go together.
We think
an honest
day’s work is hard.
To be good, we have
to sacrifice.
We made up a story
about how God did this
with his only son.
One son?
For God?
Really?
Don't ever say no, just
say yes
to something else.
to something else.
Your life
is as bountiful
as you
can tolerate.
Tolerate more.
as you
can tolerate.
Tolerate more.
Give up
being
of service.
Give up
the long
road.
Give up.
Give up
being nice.
Give up
finishing things.
Give up.
Give up
on your past.
Give up
improving.
Give up.
Give up
what you know.
Allow
what you feel.
Surprise
yourself.
of service.
Give up
the long
road.
Give up.
Give up
being nice.
Give up
finishing things.
Give up.
Give up
on your past.
Give up
improving.
Give up.
Give up
what you know.
Allow
what you feel.
Surprise
yourself.
You’ve been perhaps
wanting
normal people to like you.
Otherwise you think you’ll die
lonely and poor, because normal
people have all the love and all
the money.
But you are not normal and nor
is anyone else.
Say it a lot, until it just becomes
a funny sound—
Normal. Normal. Normal.
Normal, normal, normal, normal, normal—
or a small, furry, burrowing, blind creature.
You are not a straight rod; you’re a bent
and arching branch of the one
great tree.
This thing you’re doing
right now, it’s
called life.
What thing? This?
Yes.
Everybody’s doing
their best.
That doesn’t mean
you have to hang out
with everybody.
But they are
doing their best.
Grandiosity
is insisting
that you
are the center
of the universe.
Grandeur is
just knowing it.
that you
are the center
of the universe.
Grandeur is
just knowing it.
God is
not a mountain
you
climb but
a hole
you fall into.
you
climb but
a hole
you fall into.
How do I live?
What do I do?
Notice
things you like
relentlessly.
Notice
things you like
relentlessly.
Over time, who wins—
the mountain or
the wind?
the wind?
Probably every
person around you
believes and will tell you
with great
assurance
that you must think
of others, compromise, do things
to make them happy.
It’s tricky because this is in
the vicinity of truth
and yet off.
You can feel it.
What isn’t taught
is that you already want
others to be happy.
That’s part of you
being happy. In fact,
you love it.
Oh, except
when it feels
imposed.
Sleep in.
Find your footing.
Eat the last
donut.
Don’t gather
wood for
the fire. Be it.
believes and will tell you
with great
assurance
that you must think
of others, compromise, do things
to make them happy.
It’s tricky because this is in
the vicinity of truth
and yet off.
You can feel it.
What isn’t taught
is that you already want
others to be happy.
That’s part of you
being happy. In fact,
you love it.
Oh, except
when it feels
imposed.
Sleep in.
Find your footing.
Eat the last
donut.
Don’t gather
wood for
the fire. Be it.
What God
has given you
is so huge, you
could never do enough
to deserve it.
To receive it, stop thinking
you could.
is so huge, you
could never do enough
to deserve it.
To receive it, stop thinking
you could.
Anger
is power and
life-force—
not violence.
Violence erupts
from denial of
anger, from not feeling
powerful.
Allow your anger
without expecting
who or what made you angry
to change.
Let your
anger change you.
Let it move you
somewhere else.
life-force—
not violence.
Violence erupts
from denial of
anger, from not feeling
powerful.
Allow your anger
without expecting
who or what made you angry
to change.
Let your
anger change you.
Let it move you
somewhere else.
I am two:
a me that allows,
and a me that is
allowed.
.
The me that’s allowed
is a big me—
beyond these words and pages,
beyond the doors, beyond
the clouds,
beyond whatever
you’re thinking now.
and a me that is
allowed.
.
The me that’s allowed
is a big me—
beyond these words and pages,
beyond the doors, beyond
the clouds,
beyond whatever
you’re thinking now.
The good scientist
believes
in accurate
observation.
He doesn’t tend to remember
the train he’s riding on.
The train is civilized,
schooled,
and conditioned.
We all know where
the dining car is.
It’s a train on which
we miss things
that we’re moving
by too fast.
in accurate
observation.
He doesn’t tend to remember
the train he’s riding on.
The train is civilized,
schooled,
and conditioned.
We all know where
the dining car is.
It’s a train on which
we miss things
that we’re moving
by too fast.
Pain is a road
to letting go.
Letting go
is another road.
Letting go
is another road.
My feeling of worthiness is all
that matters.
Does god love me
or not?
Today I think so.
Tomorrow’s looking good.
Does god love me
or not?
Today I think so.
Tomorrow’s looking good.
It’s so amazing
when you realize
that no one
has any idea what they’re talking about.
that no one
has any idea what they’re talking about.
The greatest step
you can take
is the small one
you can take
now.
That may be a step
outside.
is the small one
you can take
now.
That may be a step
outside.
The greatest step
you can take
is the small one
you can take
now.
That may be a step
outside.
is the small one
you can take
now.
That may be a step
outside.
The greatest truth
there is
is the greatest truth
you can hear
now.
That may be: get
a sandwich.
is the greatest truth
you can hear
now.
That may be: get
a sandwich.
The hardest thing
to understand is
the simplest.
You knew it
as a kid, but
you were talked
out of it.
You even began to believe
your job
was to keep
talking yourself out of it.
What if now you
moonlighted
and remembered?
the simplest.
You knew it
as a kid, but
you were talked
out of it.
You even began to believe
your job
was to keep
talking yourself out of it.
What if now you
moonlighted
and remembered?
What comes
to you
the easiest is
what helps
the world
the most.
the easiest is
what helps
the world
the most.
When you don’t know
what to do,
you’re extra open
to god’s
invitations.
you’re extra open
to god’s
invitations.
Devote time
every day
to something
you love.
Go to the shore
where judgment
is a pebble you toss
to sea.
Where you feel something
trickle or pour—a something
that feels
like the deepest you—and yet,
beyond you.
A journal. A bath. A walk. A guitar.
Ten minutes. Fifteen. Twenty. Thirty.
“But—”
Shhh.
Every day.
to something
you love.
Go to the shore
where judgment
is a pebble you toss
to sea.
Where you feel something
trickle or pour—a something
that feels
like the deepest you—and yet,
beyond you.
A journal. A bath. A walk. A guitar.
Ten minutes. Fifteen. Twenty. Thirty.
“But—”
Shhh.
Every day.
Every question
is a quest.
It sends you
somewhere
specific.
There are a million
you could ask.
Here’s one: How
is this moment
perfect?
It sends you
somewhere
specific.
There are a million
you could ask.
Here’s one: How
is this moment
perfect?
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