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:

Contemplation on the Odu Oworin Irosun on new years eve 2013

I can’t tell you much
the enormity of the universe
often puts me in my place
but I can tell you this
the only thing that is certain
is that nothing is certain
that doesn’t mean it’s not probable
only that it’s not guaranteed
life is a gift that comes with no return receipt
and a manual that more often than not is missing pages
we assemble ourselves as best we can
adding memories like scavenged parts
trying to build the life we want
with only half the parts required
even those who appear to have more than needed
end up unfulfilled
missing those few critical pieces
to make them whole
live
love
laugh
adapt
you may not have the perfect machine
but you’d be surprised what you can make
if you take the pieces you’ve got
and reassemble them into something useful
you may even end up with
something better than you could have ever expected
-- Marcos Sanchez --