Michael Sun Bear

Once upon a time, a crazy, talented poet from across the Salish Sea told me of an intense dream she experienced in which she was given a strange title for a poem, but nothing more. She felt it important to write the poem, but at the time of her telling me this, inspiration had yet to strike. She passed the title to me and challenged me to write it. So I did. May I present to you “Time and the Homing Pigeon.” I think this will serve as an excellent profile; it will tell you much about me.

Time and the Homing Pigeon

Like the caged homing pigeon
I yearn only for release.

From the timeless realm,
I once chose time.
Radiant with light,
I once chose darkness.
Plucking from the tree of life,
I once chose to suffer.
As a dervish of the One
Here I chose to wander.
As a dervish of the One
Home I chose to forget.

Yet

I stood by the birthing bed,
I sang in sorrow
When Spirit married blood.
When Death’s mourners passed,
I danced with joy
At the sunder of Spirit and flesh.

As a dervish of the One
I began to remember.

With the eyes of Allah
At suffering I laughed.
With the ears of Allah
At laughter I wept.
I turned my face toward
The One.

I learned to let go
Of all I loved.
Then I let go of love.

Exiled,
Imprisoned in time,
Like the caged pigeon,
I yearn to fly home.

I pray,
Release me.
Let me go home.