Blog | thesacredpath

Doing a bit of shameless self-promotion this week. My friend and colleague, the Rev. Dr. Kathy Hurt and I have collaborated on a book about longings. The book was born from our conversations about our own longings and our desire to make a book from these conversations. The book contains short reflections on 26 different longings as well as a blessing for each one. The book contains short sections where each of us share our own writing. It is the type of book which you might just use as a short daily reading – taking one page a day and using it then to possibly reflect on your own longings.

It is only available from www.Lulu.com . When you get to the website, click on “bookstore” and then on the title “Whispers of the Soul; A Deeper Look at Longing”.

Here is one of my poems from the book;

What is longing?

if not an acorn

who knows it must

wait fifty years or

more, to become,

with luck, oak tree.

Compressed within

the one-inch acorn

lives knowledge of

tree, of twig, soil,

root, bird, worm

bark, sap.

No amount

of desire

can hurry it into

being.

~Penny Hackett-Evans

And here is one of Kathy’s Collects;

For longings themselves

Yearning

Never quite content

Yearning

We reach beyond ourselves

Towards

We know not what.

Are you there?

Is anyone there?

What is this pull

That draws us on

And will not let us rest:

Is that you?Mystery,

Hear us,

For just this once answer us

That we might know our longing

Is not in vain.

Amen.

~Kathy Hurt

I invite you to consider poetry in the coming month. There is a website that offers a daily prompt this month. www.napowrimo National Poetry Writing Month. Even if you don’t write a poem a day this month, you might consider reading a poem a day. Or, you might consider writing a Haiku (three line poem with first line having 5 syllables, second line having 7 syllables and last line having 5 syllables).

Here is a traditional sample haiku that follows the 5 – 7 – 5 rule. By R.M. Hansard

The west wind whispered,

And touched the eyelids of spring:

Her eyes, Primroses.

And here is another by Jack Keruoc that ignores the rule – but keeps the 3 lines!

The taste

of rain

— Why kneel?

I keep a couple of books of poetry by my chair and dip into them each morning for inspiration as a reminder of all the creativity the world holds for us. It’s a nice antidote to the news! Writing a poem (however “good” or “bad”) is a way of putting something new into the world – even if no-one ever sees it but you. Writing a poem is a way of forcing yourself to think a bit more deeply than normal about almost any subject. Poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer says there is absolutely no subject that could not have a poem written about it. Go ahead – describe God’s hat! or what is washing up on the beach of your heart. Or, opine about the sunrise. Or just do some word play. There are several “invitations” to poetry and also an archive of poetry prompts and poetry across the top of this website’s opening page.

And, in the midst of all that swirls in our world, I do love this poem by Quique Aviles

Let the poets run the country

I don't know about you,

but I say let the poets run the country,

we'll be better off with books and pens

instead of the misery of weapons

I say let the poets run the country,

they'll give out poetic justice

listen to those of us who want to speak.

thinking will be declared the national language

and birds will be allowed to share their wisdom.

cabinet meetings will have new agendas,

the truth and Neruda will be discussed.

there will be policy analysis on important

matters such as love and dignity.

I don't know about you,

but I say let the poets run the country.

we'll have leaders who speak from the heart,

people who will not take into account

the money of thieves and liars.

we will have a country filled with rhymes and

justice if for once, we let the poets

run the country.

by Quique Aviles

The Sacred Path

Praying All the Time

A New Book

April is Poetry Month!