41 Comments
User's avatar
Nancy E. Holroyd, RN's avatar

When swirling chaos all around

surrounds us, confounds us…

Threatening to take up space

in our brain, heart and soul.

`

A deep breath in…

A deep breath out…

`

Stepping off the whirling carousel,

`

A deep breath in…

A deep breath our…

`

Taking space to slow the racing

heart and mind.

Finding inner peace and joy,

Searching for an eternal light

to send out peace

to the tumultuous space

beyond.

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is wisdom, Nancy, and a wonderful reminder that peace can begin with our own breath.

Expand full comment
Nancy E. Holroyd, RN's avatar

I used to teach childbirth classes and would do meditations based on centering through deep breathing and riffed from there.

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

That sounds wonderful! We have a grandchild in the way, I know they are practicing deep breathing and mediation.

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Thank you Kaitlin, for the creative and encouraging way you lead us through the chaos. I like the way your prompts are wonderful guides inviting us to open and explore out inner bring. This month, your prompts and the wonderful poems shared here have been lights in the darkness.

Expand full comment
Claire's avatar

Space

In the swirling darkness

And vast expanse

Of the universe

There is a space

A space for me

A space

In time and place

A space

Within the world

Just to be me

Just to be

For now

Within

This space.

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is lovely, Claire, and a gift to read and reflect on this morning. Thank you.

Expand full comment
Korie's avatar

Personal space

Most often means

Some breathing room

In a stifling crowd…

But my definition

Implies a place

Where contemplation

Flows from the now…

A private theatre,

This seat with a view,

Calling to the soul,

“Come and rest,

Be still and know,

Heaven waits for you.”

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is truly beautiful Korie. It works wondertfully as a prayer, a devotion, an affirmation as well as a poem.

Expand full comment
A. Wilder Westgate's avatar

Did you know there is space

between all of our atoms?

They've somehow chosen to perform

a different dance inside each of us, except --

is there an inside or an each of us?

If our atoms never touch, then how come

I can feel the difference

between the spaces ours take up?

I'm learning to love myself,

which is to say

that I'm learning to love the universe,

which is to say

that I am learning to love everything

because *everything* is everything,

and so,

dear one,

are you.

Expand full comment
Margaret Somerville's avatar

Oh so beautiful! everything is everything. me too.

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is beautiful andf brilliant, A. I love the outward arc of your learning to love, and where you end up.

Expand full comment
Korie's avatar

I really like your poem today, Kaitlin. It summarizes well the universe within, just waiting to be discovered and explored.

Expand full comment
Nicole Boehrig's avatar

S P A C E

I long for empty, white blocks

Expanses on the calendar

That offer s p a c e

An evening at home,

A quiet afternoon

A day without to-dos

It seems the only way we create

These moments of sacred space

Are to block them off,

Blot them out,

And fill them with

Notices

That we deserve space to

Create, to still, to

Wander the forest, to

Dance in the living room, to

Laugh endlessly, to

Linger at the festival,

Luxuriate with friends, to

Be filled with bubbling gratitude.

Then we can move out

Into other spaces with ease.

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is good, Nicole. And often remarkably true. I understand the necessity and practice of building self care and play time, but sometimes there is a joy in the spontaneity.

Expand full comment
Kate Hennessy-Keimig's avatar

For some reason, today's prompt triggers a whiny lamenty haiku.

Some days not enough,

Others I wish for much less.

There is no middle!

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

I hear you Kate! And not whiny at all--a voice of lived experience!

Expand full comment
Kate Hennessy-Keimig's avatar

Truth! In my mind, it's titled The Introvert's Lament. As an I with three E calls....

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Yes!! I love it!

Expand full comment
Jane Longley's avatar

Space

Soflty, slowly, I

Push

Aside the

Clutter (all kinds) and

Embrace the space I find

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Ah, Jane, very nicve. As a clutterer and a space eater, I can relate!

Expand full comment
Margaret Somerville's avatar

Is space the emptiness

Of time unscheduled

Or the fullness

Of a reverie?

The chance to dream

Envision

Paths to peace

Where all are fed

Where bombs don’t form the raindrops

Ashes aren’t the linens on their bed.

The images of death

That haunt the thoughts of helplessness

I lay aside

And instead

Give room to open fields

Beyond wrongdoing and rightdoing

Where we will meet

To share a quiet moment

Midst the chaos

And a cup of tea.

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

I love this Margaret. I love poems that begin with a reflective question. "Is space the emptiness/Of time unscheduled/Or the fullness/Of a reverie?" And I lilke the nod to Rumi. A great poem!

Expand full comment
Margaret Somerville's avatar

Thank you for reflecting!

Expand full comment
Christian Totty's avatar

Day #24 Space

Here, take this pause.

Bask in the rhythmic resting place,

where the constellations meet.

Feel your lungs fill with air.

Be transformed by the alchemy

between form and function.

And, when you inhale let your body

reach the summit of its capacity. Hold

yourself there in the abyss.

Release the ribs down.

Let them fold back in to hug

your precious and extraordinary organs.

There, in the interval between cycles

the breath moves out,

whispering itself back into the expanse.

Expand full comment
A. Wilder Westgate's avatar

This feels like such a gentle offering, I love it.

Expand full comment
Christian Totty's avatar

Thank you so much, it warms my heart to hear that. :)

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is wonderful and so engaging, Christian. "Be transformed by the alchemy/between form and function." So good. Thank you for your graceful, gentle and hopeful poem.

Expand full comment
Christian Totty's avatar

Larry, thank you for being so present over the last month. I always look forward to your messages and feedback. :)

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

What a very kind and generous note to send. You are welcome, and one of the highlights of my day are reading these wonderful poems each day!

Expand full comment
Margaret Somerville's avatar

Oh my goodness, yes! The words and ideas and beautiful poems you have shared, the opportunity to write in community, has been a gift of focus and of hope. So very grateful for this practice and this space!

Expand full comment
Hans Jorgensen's avatar

Whenlifebecomesawhilwindrushingtogether

space

is what I wish

for you

and me

together.

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Very Creative, Hans!

Expand full comment
Steven Barbery's avatar

space

astounding

unbounded

but marked

by dimension

containing

physical and

spiritual worlds

expanding

to the outer edges

of the cosmos

though the area

of quantum space

is just as vast

mysterious

connected to

time

as well

as distance

science speaks

of entanglement

between particles

across the

universe

this explains

the reason

a thousand miles

can feel

like nothing

when holding

hearts together

but it doesn't explain

why

at the end of a relationship

two people can feel

a universe.

between them

alas

it is in that

awesome mystery

there lies

great hope

that in the

vastness

there is room

for great love

but also

great suffering

the two places

where we meet

grace

the only thing

more vast

than

space

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This is exceptional, Steven! “But it doesn’t’ explain/why/at the end of a relationship/two people can feel/a universe/between them.” That is profoundly beautiful. And an apt description of the great void than can exist when two partners part. I appreciate the spiritual undertone and the depth of your poem.

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Space

^

There is space between us,

seen and unseen.

Quietly and gently,

it beckons us come.

^

There is a garden, lush and clean,

where the seeds of hope are planted

Where our love can grow.

And our broken hearts may heal.

^

There is a space within me,

sprinkled with beauty and balance,

potholes and warts

and a desire to face the shadows.

^

There is a space inside of you

where joy and laughter dance,

sweet music plays on the wind

inviting your inner child to be free.

^

There is a space around us

of infinite grace and peace,

where I and we become us,

where we shine in the light of the world.

Expand full comment
Steven Barbery's avatar

Larry, I love the imagery - gardens and beauty, potholes and warts. Great job.

Thank you for sharing

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

Thank you Steven. I tend to forget about the potholes and warts, but there many!

Expand full comment
Chuck's avatar

DR SEUSS SMOKES DOPE

Pulling one last strong toke, i passed this mighty fine reefer over to "Liza with a Z"

A plea to go on breaks the silence

Huh?

That woman.

In walmart?

Who flipflopped up to you?

With the beehive hairdo?

And the ToTo tattoo?

And the frying pan full of poo?

And the weiner dog named magoo?

WTF? What did you do?

I got no clue what came after.

as that maniacal fit of stonerlike laughter

Starts to rumble up from the rafter

Cosmic space out.

No problem, my fellow crafters

This is not a complete disaster

We will find what you seek

Bur more doobies i must tweak

And Z you are the rolling master

Expand full comment
Larry Brickner-Wood's avatar

This has me smiling Chuck. I have been on a few of these...outings

Expand full comment