Contemplation on the Odu Oyekun Meji

Liquid notes drip across my consciousness
as words pour from lips like velvet silks
caressing the deepest places of your soul
Peaks and valleys ending in wells of purest water
that refresh my senses and nourish me
Time spent alone
with you
feeds the space in between
drawing me closer
into the heat of your breath
and perfumed notes of sweat
that roll down your sides
until that time when
the world is no longer
and we lose ourselves
in the timeless moment
we call
love

Contemplation on the Odu Obara Ofun

Beware

the beauty of the snake

it is unable to escape its nature

intoxicated by it undulating movements

one might be lured into a false sense of security

but do not be fooled

whether driven by 

threat

hunger

or surprise

real or perceived

a snake will

be a snake

There are some

who like the snake

can not escape their nature

beware them

but do not become them

and always rise above the

faults of your nature

to become more than

the sum of your parts

Contemplation on the Odu Ofun Ogunda

"There is a time and a place"

was the name of the one who arrived in a foreign land

where people walked backwards

and kept their faces covered

and their bodies bare

in the hot desert sun

What is this place

he thought to himself

how unenlightened these people are

do they not know that their genitals lay bare

for the world to see

and their faces remain covered

emotions hidden beneath muslin of blue

What a strange place indeed!

As the day passed

he continued to observe the customs of the local people

only to understand that

while seemingly strange

for these people the customs worked

and they managed to live

as they had

for many years before him

and likely

for many years after him

While sitting for tea

he realized

left bare to the world

there was no shame in their bodies

man and woman

without worry 

looked past functionality

and into the minds of each other

what a revolutionary thought

disguised by my own prejudice

After some time spent wandering

“There is a time and a place” was approached by a tribe elder

and asked

Does it not feel funny

to walk with your toes first

and not see where you come from?

To which he responded

I had never thought about it that way

certainly I always want to understand where I came from

but I find it quite useful to see where I will go

In thoughtful repose, the elder contemplated his response

and said

It is from this moment on, that I declare my people will try walking sometimes seeing what lies ahead 

and sometimes seeing where they have come from

In response “there is a time and a place” declared

From this moment forth

I will walk sometimes looking ahead

and sometimes looking behind

and I will sometimes leave my body bare, and head covered

that I may look into another’s soul

and not just at their body

So it was that each learned

and felt the truth in a new way of being

“There is a time and a place”

was the name of the one who lived in a foreign land

that was no longer foreign

More Contemplations on the Odu Obara Meji

My thoughts become words
carefully written
mind to muscle
muscle to pen
pen to page
taking shape
and meaning
a marriage of form and substance
to be seen by all who have interest
My thoughts become words
softly spoken
mind to muscle
muscle to movement
movement to breath
set free
for all to hear
let loose upon the world
that minds may ponder their meaning
My thoughts become words
traveling like a virus
carrying messages of love
so that you too might infect others
and make the world a peaceful place

Contemplation on the Odu Oyekun Irosun

Work and play
do not generally mix
and it is best to not mistake
colleagues
for friends
Extracting emotions
from the equation
simplifies the interaction
in a world where people
are quick to react
and are easily offended
making a cold
but safe
place
-- Marcos Sanchez --

Contemplation on the Odu Irete Iwori

When pursuing one’s agenda
do not over estimate one’s worth
by underestimating the opponent who
may appear to be easily overthrown
because they have allowed themselves to be distracted.
Revealing one’s plans too early
or attracting their attention through aggressive actions
may only serve to redirect their focus
which invariably turns the hunter
into the hunted
Better to prove one’s worth
and become a trusted part of the hunting party
with a place at the dinner table
while avoiding a central place on the dinner table
-- Marcos Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Oworin Odi

Not priest nor prophet,
Not shaman nor saint
can verify the Other.
So why is it that we listen
to so many that
pedal their wares of fear
and ignore those
who sell nothing
but only speak of love?
Is fear so great a motivator
that love can not conquer
its grip on our minds?
Faith
was once fallible
meant to be questioned
and only through careful investigation
could one truly maintain
faith
But fear has changed its definition
from something for the intelligent
to something that is followed
without question
blindly
ignorantly,
Isn’t faith really about
the confidence and trust
we place in something that
we have fully investigated
and continue to investigate?
and in that investigation
continually find the
truth
beauty
love
compassion
growth
and meaning
in what we believe?
Life is hard
do we need to make it harder
by putting our faith
in fear?
Love may not instantly solve our woes
but it will help set us on the right path.

-- Marcos Sanchez -- (Inspired listening to Yo Yo Ma playing the Bach Cello Suites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZn_VBgkPNY )

Contemplation on the Odu Iwori Ogunda (iwori aweda)

I wasn't inspired to write

not being sure if my words would have meaning

but I could not help myself

streams of thoughts pouring from my fingertips

waves crashing down

pounding words into sand

writing of the inequity of life

angrily recounting the war of

wants versus needs

why can they not reconcile their differences?

days, sometimes years pass

in a precarious detente of wills

yet so often skirmishes flare

unable to agree

it is the story of man

tribal warfare

of the soul

the battle raging within each of us

just underneath the surface

riptides threatening to pull us under

we can only hope

that someday we might find peace

with our circumstance

or the ability to change it.

Contemplation on the Odu Irosun Iwori

I was born free

until life built walls

that surrounded me

I was born unencumbered

until the world burdened me

with the weight of its’ mistakes

I was born unchained

until religions tied me down 

with righteousness

I was born enlightened

until words tied my tongue

and language obscured the truth

I was born alive

until society handed me a clock

with which to countdown my days

I was born

into a society

that boxed me in

from the moment

I was born

until 

I realized I could

cut a window

build a door

and 

live in

or out

of my box

Contemplation on the Odu Osa Odi ( Osa Idi )

A love bought
is not love
just as the
sound of a
songbird can not
be called a
thing of beauty
by a man
with no hearing
Only time can
prove a love
that is true
and though love
can be simple
it's often painted
in a thousand
shades of grey
Sometimes easy, sometimes
hard, only one
truth remains unspoken
Love is work

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Ofun

Who am I
but a reflection of my past
today
seemingly free
I am merely a slave to yesterday
and tomorrow
masters unseen
dictating my path
puppeteer
of life
God is
not a being
not a thing
not anything
but everything
God is
that which happens
in between the notes

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Ika

I tripped on a bucket today
walking past your house
I stopped to put it back
but couldn’t avoid the puddle of water
created by my carelessness
I’d made a mess of things
and didn’t know how to clean up
so I gingerly stepped around it
to put the bucket back
only to see looking up at me
my reflection
rippling in the wind
I’d caused this
I didn’t mean to
but I had
I left a note
to say I’m sorry
and turned away
hoping that I’d put things back
as best I could
The sun shone down
evaporating the water
until all that was left
was a salty film
on the sidewalk
the lone memory
of my mistake
the dried tears
of yesterdays folly
and an apology
that next time
I’ll be more careful

-- Marcos Sanchez --  Listening to Nils Frahm Tristane https://soundcloud.com/sonic-pieces/nils-frahm-tristana  I felt compelled to write this contemplation: