October 7, 2004
May We Embrace
by Judy Grahn
Great Mother, Great Spirit, Great Mother-Father God
may we embrace
those whose deity is a talkative stone,
a sacred tree or a reindeer
may we embrace
those whose deity is a complex historic story
of martyrdom, suffering and redemption
may we embrace
those whose deity is immanent in a dance of joy,
in drum-song, or a literate tattoo carved in flesh
of sacred human body
knowing yours is the greatest of all bodies
Great Spirit, Great Father-Mother God, Great Mother
may we embrace
those whose deity is the keeping of just law
and may we embrace
those whose deity is the breaking of unjust law
may we embrace
those whose deity is a sexual being, and
those whose deity is a breath of sound, and
those whose deity is crafting a talisman of jewels
or a beautiful cloth, a painting in sand
of our lives as paintings in the wind
knowing yours is the gift of thoughtful action
Great Father-Mother God, Great Spirit, Great Dancing Mother
may we embrace
those whose deity drips gore
in the eternal bone yard
of the nonreality of any body
and may we embrace just sitting with all being
and may we embrace
those whose deity is present in a tender kiss
of the baby god
and the blessing of all relationships
knowing you are the blood red web holding our short lives
on this long earth
Great Mother, Great Spirit, Great Father-Mother God
may we embrace
our own hearts
may our hearts stretch large
as wombs
may our hearts stretch toward your heart
you of the largest heart
may we embrace
"Heart" by Cydra Vaux
Judy Grahn is a renowned poet and cultural theorist; metaformic theory is her new origin story that reclaims the Sacred Feminine and women's contributions of culture. Judy teaches in and co-directs Women's Spirituality MA and Creative Inquiry (interdisciplinary arts) MFA programs, at New College of California.