She moves so Gracefully
Through days that hold a fevered pace
Time flying, swirling out of hand
Never ending, one by one, the obligations mount
Yet through it all she never seems to fall
Then I see a glimmer peeking through
Like the promise that rests within cocoons
Unbridled mystery
What magic rests inside?

Quiet fire
One desire
[Joy] Undeniable Love in Artistry
Deep inside
Burning bright
[Joy] longing for its release

She breathes the breath of life
Into each image she portrays
A still life moving - teaming with her fire
Though resting quietly within the shadowed walls
It echoes through her hallowed halls
I can hear the passion in her song
The joy we hear has been there all along
Unbridled mystery
What music rests inside!

Reflection - "Quiet Fire"

This song draws upon a metaphor, life as art. I don't believe any of us are aware of how often we treat a work of art with a dispassionate aloofness. We so often can hear beautiful melodies sung by heavenly voices and see breathtaking paintings, drawings, or sculptures. So often we fail to even take note. In those moments when we do stop to acknowledge the beauty, rarely do we even consider the great burning inspiration within the artist who created it. And in those truly remarkable moments when we do make note of that inspiration, we always fail to fully understand it. We do the same with people. We get so wrapped up in the mundane that we fail to see the profound. When we do appreciate another person, it's usually their accomplishments or some outward act of goodness that we recognize. We almost never consider the wellspring at the source of the deed. And even when we do pay homage to it, we never fully understand it. This song was inspired by the awe I feel when I catch a glimpse of that spring as it bubbles to the top in an unguarded moment - those precious times when achievement takes a subordinate role to a greater success. When "doing" holds the door open for "being." When the reason speaks louder than the rhyme. Perhaps we should let our guard down more often and give way to the playful mystery of the spirit. In these moments the still life we have created does indeed become animated. The song that carries forth from our voice does indeed echo with a deeper truth than the vibrations met by our ears or the meanings of our chosen words.
When met with visions of beautiful images or vibrations of heavenly sounds, let us each try to pay homage to the quiet fire - the mysterious beauty and power of the creator. Let's do the same when we see a person who displays beauty in any of its forms. In doing so, art will not merely reflect life, nor will life reflect the beauty of art. Life and art and beauty will be one and the same.