Ripples from the Center

Sharing a Little Poetry, Art, Beauty & Heart

a little wit, wisdom & whimsy to enlighten you on your way...

Copyright 2012. Original poetry, art, writing & photography by Julie SuZaNNe BröKKeN

Monday, September 19, 2011

Autumn Window



soft       slow as a chilly butterfly
late       on its way south
breeze enters       barely audible      
wraps around my forearms
takes my hands       lifts them
from this desk       this page      
cups them to my cheeks
cool as damp bed sheets
hung on an autumn line
welcome “hush”       pausing
the crickets       quiet now
I sing my own silent song 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Jaguar's Two Moons: Painting & Poetry Paired



Jaguar's Moons: A Shamanic Self-Portrait
watercolor/gouache painting on paper, 2004-2007
$3500, inquire

There is a story within a story in this painting... and very personal.   I am happy to share it with all who are interested.  I prefer to relate it directly.  I started the poem below in about 2000.  It was a challenging birth... nights writing at a diner at 2 in the morning.  It seemed to want to be two poems to I finally acquiesced.  It was born out of a vision I had of the moon dividing in two.  Often the art, in whatever form, visual, poetic, et al, informs the artist, has a life force of it's own.  Toss in the collective unconscious and who knows where it will take you.  After writing this poem, I learned that the Maya believed that Jaguar protected people's souls while they slept!  Namaste!

Jaguar’s Two Moons 

Phase I

Jaguar births from fractured light
Moon and her beloved              dark waters
surrender mottled cat
to deep and sacred beauty              night jaguar

tastes new gods in moon drops
laced indigo laced gold
bites mystery off a comet’s tail
chasing herself past Mars

Beauty sits atop sleeping Earth
to waken Morning Sun              dappled souls
astride broad spotted back              dreams
true waken promised dawn


Phase II

Born of Moon’s water
breaking out of stone
Jaguar fractures light in two
follows where it’s flown

Luna’s waters wax ~ then wane
crescent moon ~ it’s duty
surrenders beloved mottled cat
to deep and sacred beauty

Jaguar watches light play dark
bouncing betwixt the stars
bites mystery off a comet’s tail
chases herself past Mars

Seven Sisters and offspring too
dapple Jaguar’s coat
entrust themselves to Shadow
sanctuary remote

Night Beauty leaps onto her cherished Earth
splashing wisdom on her face
washes all sleeping souls onto her back
ferries them safely to sweet morning place

Kindred spirits with her fly
paint light and dark as one
tell sublime tales of timeless Jaguar Lore
a whole new world begun!


Me & My Jaguar @ White Butterfly Studio
Factory on 5th, ABQ, NM

INSPIRED TO RIPPLE A LOVE OFFERING or PURCHASE ART/PHOTOGRAPHS (juliebrokken@yahoo.com for prices)

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Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States