Sunday, May 6, 2018

Julia and Michael Hesley Wedding - April 29, 2018

Michael's Vows


I first met you in the
place I go between
sleep and awake.
I was in a timeless land
waiting for to my dream to break.

Instead, you appeared as a goddess!
Smiling, exuding feminine energy,
and just as gorgeous just as today!

Alone with you, with hopeful
thoughts and open heart,
I dreamily waited and surrendered
to your as yet unknowing state.

Softly, your feminine spirit
silently surrounded me, 
and your presence filled my masculine void
with the glow of your waif-like soul.

Reclining, care-freely I smile,
not knowing the where,
how high, nor the what,
and certainly not the why of us...

In my twilight, we embrace,
and I let go of my hard heart and pain.
Today, I feel the lightness of our grace!

Our bright spirits and our perfection,
compliments yours and mine,
Yin and Yang joining together
in the soft light of the sublime.

At first, I'm confused...
But, I yield to your femininity,
yet, I retain my masculinity.
Intently, we combine without enmity...

I know your sweetness
and the where that I'm at...
And, purposely, we meld and merge carefully,
in our own two ways...

Loving ourSelves,
no longer knowing our self-ish selves,
we remember not of our old caring…
But, will we ever know the why our new sharing?

Tenderness, and softness,
and strength, and calm...
Easily, uneasy souls join together gracefully,
almost as if one.

But...

No one knows why it must be so…
Astrologers say that Scorpio’s and Gemini’s
fight and they yell, like demon spawn,
straight from the depth's of hell…

Like boiling blood of Water and Air
that they say just refuses to gel...

Is this truly so?
Does it have to be for us?
I laugh at astrologer’s fearful
prognostication for you and me…

Tonight, with the insane moon’s glow,
Our music flows with innocence and delight…
Challenging each in great ways
with Our respective rites...

With your beauty and endless energy,
and my innate mystical synergy,
our hearts open to the boundless possibilities.
And from now on, we’ll strive to
negate each other’s opposite qualities.
 ________________________________

Julia, what I love about you is that
you accept my darkness and my light,
And I accept yours with the greatest of delight. 

What I’ve spoke of today is how we are to me.
But, flowery promises seldom ever come to be.
So, my vows are but three...

I will always love you for all eternal time.

I vow I will give you the best I’ve got
at that place, moment and time­­­.

But, most importantly,
I do promise you this:

You’ll never be bored.

Julia's Vows

·       I knew I had to meet you when I’ve read that first email you wrote to me. I could tell you spoke from the heart, and I could feel a genuine person behind the lines. 
·       Over the time, I’ve discovered a person who is both strong and vulnerable, caring and loving, kind and generous, curious and spirited. 
·       Your inquisitive mind never fails to surprise me with the new ideas, and I’m never bored with you. 
·       Your unwavering love for me makes me feel like the most beautiful woman on earth.  
·      I promise to always love you and treat you with respect and kindness. 
·      I promise to support you in your dreams, ambitions and adventures, whatever they will be. 
·      I promise to always be a good partner, a true companion, a part of the team. 
·      I promise to listen to you with compassion and be a voice of reason and encouragement when you need me to. 
·      And despite your passion for the photo gear and your interesting hat collection, I love and cherish you for all that you are.
·      I promise to always keep sight of what’s good about us, even in the midst of a disagreement.
·      I promise to never watch the next episode of “our” shows on Netflix without you, no matter how much I want to. Besides, it’s always more fun to watch them WITH you.
·      I promise to recognize that we’re both going to change over the years and to do my best to go with the flow.
·      And I promise to update my Facebook status to ‘Married’ by the end of the day – and keep it that way through all our ups and downs.
© 2018 Michael and Julia Hesley
All Rights Reserved

Monday, October 13, 2014

Angels at the Feeder

Anna's Hummingbird
Say hello to one of my buddies in east Issaquah, Washington.

I shot this with a Nikon 1 V2 using a 1 Nikkor VR 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 at 35 mm equivalent of 810 mm, handheld. I used a flash to stop the wings so we can see this hummer like we never really can. These little guys at the edge of the city are quite shy, and easily spooked! They sure are challenging and fun to shoot! I love my little angelic friends...

Thanks for looking!

TC 

© 2014 Michael G. Hesley
All Rights Reserved

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Power of Stripes

Last night, from no beginning and no end,
that tiger was loose within me again!
I am afraid of him; so by his striped thick scruff,
I mightily threw him down for another new start.

My mind thinks he's a dangerous and magnificent pain!
Always snarling, growling, snapping, and gnashing
at me with his fangs. As he falls, he shouts at me,
"You always want someone to endlessly blame."

Sometimes I think that tiger is a sick bastard...
He's called "Power," but that's not his real name.
Lying silently, he endlessly plots, and plans my demise.
And, with me, he's always so angry and flustered!

With his savage and raw predatory power
he tries to overwhelm my four good friends.
We're always battling for my soul, 
but it's always a draw; so he just pouts and glowers.

Power shows himself every week or so. 
He's always ready to destroy part of my self. 
"You're my friend!" he says. But he's unpredictable
in his efforts to teach me to be meek.

With a god's force, he says,"Fight like a tiger! Embrace 
these bright days and dark nights!" And when the exhausting
battle ends, he always says, "Why do we fight
these pointless battles to regain your Grace?"

© 2014 Michael G. Hesley
All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Convex Visions

Rainbows and storms
fill the mirror that
glares in my face.
Nothing could be less norm,
or leaves me more bare
than my fear of Grace.

Perhaps Dante is right...
Do I make God wait?
Ghosts sometimes stalk my soul
from my mirror that lights
that rearward view; they try
to make me their final goal.

Darkness and Light
gloats as thunderbolts pass...
Gleefully, they intertwine behind,
canceling out that inner fight...
I drive faster from them, but
they still close into my mind.

It's hard to run ahead
when looking to the rear.
I can't help my self,
its the unknown it still dreads!
But, I ram head-on into the newness,
not yet seeing all it's new wealth...

Maybe I should just stop
and let the thunderbolts catch me!
Convex mirrors do deceive,
you know! So, I'll let those 'bolts drop
into my mind, and let my Self heal.
Hell, I'll even let my Soul breathe...

© 2014 Michael G. Hesley
All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The Balm of the Night

I've known I was odd
since I was young.
Parents and teachers told me so...
Shackled by that label,
I grow restless and bold.

I remember seeing things
that weren't there. Like that "odd bond,"
daring myself to break free.
With hope, I bare my soul
and dream to see what life brings.

I desire beautiful sights,
and in my mind's eye
happily I taste it, and
while it touches my spirit,
I bathe in it's light.

Sometimes I see wondrous
old and new visions of beauty,
freshly painted by the morning's dew.
They pierce me like arrows of light; oh,
I yearn with desire to hear that thunder...

I'm told I'm odd, and I've never fit
into the usual molds, always different,
yet not meaning to be.
Its my nature to fly, but this self-made
halsband keeps me in a snit.

Wanting to be free of the bight's

restricting grip, I strain in my
fight for freedom and

quietly express myself
usually late at night.

Yes... When all is quiet, and all is calm,
I dream of beauty and light, and while
I'm there I don't strain with all my might.

There, where I'm normal, and restful,
I'm touched with God's soothing balm.

© 2014 Michael G. Hesley
All Rights Reserved