This is so precious, Korie. What a beautiful weave of restful words and images, and your very powerful endijmng, "Always giving the rest of/something away." Indeed!
"Make a clearing in your life,/Like a clearing in a forest." Claire, your poem rings out to me this morning. You describe this so beautifully, and I hope to find that place today.
Kate, I had this very experience as a young girl after my dad left and my parents divorced. Thank you for writing it today and bringing me back to such a tender moment.
Kate, this is an extraordinary poem. It resonates so strongly. I have felt this way at the moments when I was at my lowest, most anxious, frightened or lost. Thank you for giving it voice.
This great work Margaret! I love the word rush, and your poem is a breadth of wisdom, power, reflection, kindness and compassion. The way you weave words together in such an evocative way is remarkable.
This is a lovely poem, Rachel. It works as a meditation as well as a poetic form of instruction. Thank you for your enlightened poetry and breath work.
This is lovely, Nancy. I like the rhythm and cadence you create with the rest as a transition. And also creating a pause between the pieces that gives me the feeling of resting. This is great work.
This is very touching, Steven, and oh so true. I like the way you introduce Jesus and his knowing rest was so essential to his ministry. The rise of capitalistic Christianity and notion such as Jesus as CEO never seem to acknowledge this, then again, Jesus was not a capitalist.
Larry, Pharaoh comes in many disguises. I know exactly one economist that went to seminary that doesn't think that Jesus was a Capitalist. Ugh. I also know that the Max Weber's Protestant Work Ethic doesn't do it any favors.
There are too many pastors that have an "office". I was reminded in seminary that that it was the pastor's "study". Then, an old Bishop taught me that is was originally, the pastor's "prayer".
Kaitlin, thank you for this. The word "rest" is so soothing and healing for me, and I have had a challenging time practicing and doing it. Perhaps not thinking about it at all, just doing is the key. Thank you always for your prompts and poems which seem to perfecty fit every day for me. I hope you are resting!
What is the rest of
What we have
To give today?
Are we not always
Finding it?
The rest of the truth,
The rest of the story,
The rest of these moments,
The rest of a poem,
The rest of resources,
The rest of attention,
The rest of myself,
Always giving the rest of
Something away…
This is so precious, Korie. What a beautiful weave of restful words and images, and your very powerful endijmng, "Always giving the rest of/something away." Indeed!
Rest
"Come away
And rest a while"
I hear the call.
Make a clearing in your life,
Like a clearing in a forest.
A space you can come
Away from it all-
To sit under a tree,
To hear the birds sing,
To breathe in...
And breathe out...
To breathe-
Just breathe
And just be.
Make a clearing in your life ❤️ I love this! And need to make one
Beautiful. This feels like the place my poem should happen.
"Make a clearing in your life,/Like a clearing in a forest." Claire, your poem rings out to me this morning. You describe this so beautifully, and I hope to find that place today.
I hope you find it Larry.
so this is what it feels like
to be held
by arms I cannot see,
to become a wave
of partless particles
settling
into grace
to sink
into the cradled depths
of some vast soft heart,
to find myself embraced
made new again
by the very force
that birthed me.
Kate, I had this very experience as a young girl after my dad left and my parents divorced. Thank you for writing it today and bringing me back to such a tender moment.
💔 thank you so much for this sharing, it made me cry. I had this experience too during a time when I was sure my world was ending.
I’m deeply grateful for this container you’re holding and the way it is braiding our hearts together 💔🙏
Kate, this is an extraordinary poem. It resonates so strongly. I have felt this way at the moments when I was at my lowest, most anxious, frightened or lost. Thank you for giving it voice.
Thank you for sharing this Larry ♥️
I learned to rest
Beside still waters
When I accepted that they were not
Still
Instead it spoke of me,
An epithet transferred.
The river hurried on its way
To tend to waterfalls
And irrigate
The ruach in its rushing path
That cut through woods,
But I
I chose to linger.
There are those I could feed
And tasks to hurry me along
My sylvan path of productivity
But first
I rest
And coupled with this calm
I find I am enough
To feed the world
And those around
When first my plate is full.
This great work Margaret! I love the word rush, and your poem is a breadth of wisdom, power, reflection, kindness and compassion. The way you weave words together in such an evocative way is remarkable.
Thank you for this feedback, Larry. It means so much.
Daughter wrapt
In sacred play -
Beside her
On the bed I lay.
Time for her -
Time for me -
Restful, blissful -
Time to be.
Lie down
Breathe in
Remember
You are more than
What you do, accomplish,
Get done.
Breathe out
It won’t be be enough
Not everything happens for
Reasons we can understand
Breathe in
Release the reigns of
Control you never truly had
Breathe out
Hold on instead to yourself
To the body that has carried you
And will be your companion
Over the miles and heartaches
Of the hours, days, and years ahead
So long as you show it love
And give it rest.
I resonate with every line here ❤️ thank you for this beautiful reminder in poem form
This is a lovely poem, Rachel. It works as a meditation as well as a poetic form of instruction. Thank you for your enlightened poetry and breath work.
what was wrested by
capitalism - rest, peace -
is slowly restored
A deep, non sectarian amen to this!
a zillion measures of rest,
with one last note
at the double bar.
Why am i here?
A trombone ponders the symphony orchestra.
"Gimme some fuckin' Sousa",
he whispers to himself.
With one last note, seems to speak beyond the music.
Thank you for sharing
Very lively, Chuck! I love a good trombone!
Gazing up at the clouds.
Watching a ladybug crawl along a leaf.
Naps.
All this we knew in childhood and forgot in adulthood - our time & energy best used “elsewhere”.
We had to learn how to rest.
To unwind ourselves from the tight wound ball we had spun ourselves into.
Release Ourselves
Deprogram Ourselves
Free Ourselves
We had to give ourselves permission to stop, be idle, stare off into space — the clouds.
To rest.
Rest
Rest
Rest
This is wonderful, Jane. Your poem had me reflecting on how animals know how and when to rest. Another things we learn from them.
Rest…
Seduction to quiet
one’s soul lies
in the word.
Rest…
whispers through
the air that
I breathe.
Rest…
why is it so
hard to
capture.
It disappears,
it threatens,
the need
expands.
Rest…
And then
I sing…
“Come unto me…
and I…
Rest…
This is lovely, Nancy. I like the rhythm and cadence you create with the rest as a transition. And also creating a pause between the pieces that gives me the feeling of resting. This is great work.
rest
they say
but there is
so much
to do
•
feed the hungry
•
stand up
to many
evils in the world
•
clothe the naked
•
visit
shut-ins
•
free
the oppressed
•
and
NOW
I have to
REST?
•
it sounds like
another thing
to do
•
that seems
overwhelming
•
but alas
I look
to scripture
•
what would
Jesus
do?
•
he did
his acts
and then
•
he prayed
and
rested
This is very touching, Steven, and oh so true. I like the way you introduce Jesus and his knowing rest was so essential to his ministry. The rise of capitalistic Christianity and notion such as Jesus as CEO never seem to acknowledge this, then again, Jesus was not a capitalist.
Larry, Pharaoh comes in many disguises. I know exactly one economist that went to seminary that doesn't think that Jesus was a Capitalist. Ugh. I also know that the Max Weber's Protestant Work Ethic doesn't do it any favors.
There are too many pastors that have an "office". I was reminded in seminary that that it was the pastor's "study". Then, an old Bishop taught me that is was originally, the pastor's "prayer".
I like this, Steven. I’m right with you.
Resist & breathe:
“You don’t have to earn it.”
Resist & breathe:
“Your worth doesn’t come from the work you do.”
Resist & breathe:
“Your body. No. Body. Is a machine.”
Remember through children, through Winter, through nighttime, through science,
We thrive under still, quiet, & rest, too.
What if you got giddy
Over cosying up & downshifting?
What would luxuriating each afternoon
Look like,
sound like,
smell like,
feel like?
Twenty minutes. 4,000 heartbeats.
A reset through rest.
What if we all believed?
“I am worthy of rest, and so are you.”
“Rest is a birthright.”
“We cultivate rest.”
“Rest is resistance.”
May we all be free.
This is lovely, Nicole. I like the questions you pose, and the possibilities they raise.
Rest
Rest is best
When sighings crest
Into a nest of trust,
Where heart and breast find safety
In its lullaby, as guest.
Nice Karen! I really like the rhyming cadence.
Thanks, Larry, I had fun with that.
Kaitlin, thank you for this. The word "rest" is so soothing and healing for me, and I have had a challenging time practicing and doing it. Perhaps not thinking about it at all, just doing is the key. Thank you always for your prompts and poems which seem to perfecty fit every day for me. I hope you are resting!
Come rest!
Stronger than invitation,
Softer than command,
wordless but compelling.
I do not resist,
but settle, and sighing, sink
into the bottomless rest
of contemplation.
I like this Kate. “Sink/into the bottomless rest/of contemplation” is an incredible ending.
Thsnks!
Perfect Hour
A perfect hour
for every act:
Eat first to build and grow,
(A perfect hour)
And then the austere vow
to take the gentle ease.
A perfect hour
for every moment
This is amazing, Lisa! I love the phrase and notion of “a perfect hour.”