Passion

By: Marianne Lyon

Praise wild passion

fiery longings raging songs unsung

free lurking hesitation curious compulsion

ignite the set-aside not-yet-concrete

Laud shamans magical spells

generals who inspire peace

priests who rouse devotion

children who believe they can fly

Applaud wild fever

that nudges us to rush to zesty gold mine

praise things we’ve always said we’d do

indulgences we never thought we would

Here’s to making dithering useless

here’s to kindling that which makes no sense

that which doesn’t rhyme fit the meter

what we cast threw away

Say no to parameters that suffocate

fear not dissonance consonance will resound

ecstatically resuscitate your arduous beacon

enter locked secret room of vibrancy

Congratulate passionate sun within your heart

it maybe love lust rage determination

envy heartache exhaustion joy

allow it to burn its way out

---

Marianne Lyon has been a music teacher for 43 years. After teaching in Hong Kong she returned to the Napa Valley and has been published in various literary magazines and reviews. Nominated for the Pushcart Award 2016. She has spent time teaching in Nicaragua. She is a member of the California Writers Club, Solstice Writers in St. Helena California. She is an Adjunct Professor at Touro University Vallejo California. She was awarded the Napa Country Poet Laureate 2021 title.