Switching Gods Poems & Tales for Waking Up Paul Chubbuck i PAUL CHUBBUCK Copyright © 2017 Paul Chubbuck All rights reserved. ISBN-13: 978-1542677196 ISBN-10: 154267719X Cover photo by Paul Chubbuck ii DEDICATION To my friends and clients and the loving presence inside each of you, yearning to come out of hiding from underneath the self-protective armor of fear, hurt, and self-doubt iii Contents Acknowledgements — Wopila ......................................................... 1 Foreword .......................................................................................... 3 Introduction...................................................................................... 5 You Have an Animal Inside ............................................................... 8 The Inheritance .............................................................................. 10 Early Winter .................................................................................... 11 Switching Gods ............................................................................... 12 Befriending Baba Yaga.................................................................... 14 The Spider Wraps its Prey in Silk .................................................... 15 Panther ........................................................................................... 16 Grief Prayer .................................................................................... 17 Splinter ........................................................................................... 18 The Iris Fancier ............................................................................... 19 The Wind Tonight ........................................................................... 20 I Dreamt of Bridges......................................................................... 21 Standing Rock ................................................................................. 22 Head of the Pin ............................................................................... 25 Someone Has to Hear the Crying ................................................... 26 The Loyal Fireman .......................................................................... 27 When I Pause to Spy Your Smile..................................................... 28 Finding Fault ................................................................................... 29 Scrims ............................................................................................. 30 Venus and Jupiter Dancing ............................................................. 31 Stopping ......................................................................................... 32 The Rapture .................................................................................... 33 This Week’s Lessons ....................................................................... 34 Last Night’s Campfire ..................................................................... 35 When Stars Fell Like Rain ............................................................... 36 Skittish ............................................................................................ 38 The Explorer ................................................................................... 39 Looking Back to Today .................................................................... 40 Sangha ............................................................................................ 41 Sweet Darkness .............................................................................. 42 No Exchange ................................................................................... 43 That’s It ........................................................................................... 44 Word Hoarder ................................................................................ 45 Cardboard People ........................................................................... 46 iv SWITCHING GODS After Meeting Neelam .................................................................... 47 Behind Schedule ............................................................................. 48 Better .............................................................................................. 49 Do You Know About the Well? ....................................................... 50 Fearcloth ......................................................................................... 51 It Was the Snow .............................................................................. 52 Images ............................................................................................ 54 Lighten Up ...................................................................................... 55 Song Of Power ................................................................................ 56 The Body Makes Its Own Joy .......................................................... 57 The Orchard .................................................................................... 58 A Great Listening ............................................................................ 59 Maybe It’s Not Your Pain ................................................................ 60 Beyond Words ................................................................................ 61 Fishboy and the Lost People ........................................................... 62 Birth ................................................................................................ 69 Tribute ............................................................................................ 70 A Secret........................................................................................... 71 Dream ............................................................................................. 72 I’m Embarrassed! ............................................................................ 73 With love ........................................................................................ 74 First Step ......................................................................................... 76 Third Step ....................................................................................... 77 A Small Emptiness .......................................................................... 78 Just Love ......................................................................................... 79 A Thanksgiving Prayer .................................................................... 80 Seeds............................................................................................... 82 The Troublemaker .......................................................................... 83 Practice Partners ............................................................................ 84 Labor ............................................................................................... 86 Tossing the Practice ........................................................................ 87 The Blind Dancer ............................................................................ 88 This Big Love ................................................................................... 90 Visiting the High Valley in Springtime ............................................ 92 Visitors ............................................................................................ 93 To Die for the Cause ....................................................................... 94 Finding Lion .................................................................................... 96 Under Tutelage of the Lion of the Mountain ................................. 98 The Price of Tears ........................................................................... 99 Death Lodge .................................................................................. 100 v PAUL CHUBBUCK The Public Pool ............................................................................. 102 Early Spring ................................................................................... 104 Wrinkles ........................................................................................ 105 Let Love Wash You ....................................................................... 106 Buds .............................................................................................. 107 The Old Soldier Speaks ................................................................. 108 Your New Duties ........................................................................... 110 Summit ......................................................................................... 112 Power Song ................................................................................... 114 How the Monsoon Rains Came to Taos ....................................... 115 How Will You Feed Your Soul? ..................................................... 120 About the Poet ............................................................................. 123 vi SWITCHING GODS vii PAUL CHUBBUCK viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Wopila The path I’ve walked seemed often dark, and I alone. Strange then, that when I turn to look behind, I see clearly so many stumbling just where I did stumble. Lest they fall, I stretch out a hand to catch them, which they often do not see, though nonetheless their balance is regained, their walk advanced. So I think of hands stretched out to me over many long years when pain had closed my eyes and ears. Kind words,