I have been a part of religious communities, “Intentional communities”. work communities, peace and justice communities, the community of all creation.
Now I’m seeking to be in community
With the family down the street who live, with me and God knows who all else, in the community where our house happens to be.
Also...community is this space created by these prompts, filled with the words, thoughts, hopes, and dreams of so many. Thanks, Kaitlin and all of you for this community.
Community is perhaps the most powerful thing in my healing and that ignited my imagination for liberation…
Expanding my practice of community outside of homogenous religious spaces to diverse and complex relationships committed to struggling together in Love has opened pathways to healing I could not have experienced alone…
Inviting community beyond human relationships to the Land, to Plants, to Animals, to Elements, to Spirits, and to Ancestors has provided a connection that grounds me on the hardest days…
Allowing my imagination to envision living a life in expansive, queer, interdependent community restores my energy and hope for a world where we all thrive.
I absolutely love this poem and connect with it. I'd love to buy the collection of these at the end of the month. The proceeds could go to you, Kaitlin, to support you and your family.
I don’t understand prayer
-
But I know that sitting together
As the sun rises
-
(faces to our right and left
above and below,
energy sent through the stratosphere
to created stars
and back again)
-
Silent
-
Reverent
-
Listening
-
Somehow makes us whole.
Mary, you nearly made me cry with your beautiful words! So powerful and needed. Thank you.
Amen
You’re so great in my head.
The potlucks and friendly waves,
late-night talks over wine and records,
a shared lawnmower,
a babysitting co-op.
But in person you’re so
personal
and messy
and unpredictable,
I can’t appreciate you for who you are.
I’d love to bring a pie for the neighbors
right after I cry in an anxious ball
for an hour.
Lisa, thank you.
Community is others together.
Together to worship
To eat
To serve
To run
To drink coffee
To pray
And sometimes to just be.
Community is others together.
Together grappling with differences.
Listening to one another.
Working towards understanding.
Doing hard things.
Community is something we create,
and something created in us and through us.
Community is humanity at its worst and its best together.
Amen!!
Two houses down, across the street
Lives a family with a flag pole
The flag says,
“Don’t tread on me”.
It feels provocative to me,
And not in a good way
But yet we live in the same
Community.
Neighbors, even.
Not only that, but I have had
Several brief conversations
With them and they seem nice.
They even have cute little kids
And a friendly dog.
I have been a part of religious communities, “Intentional communities”. work communities, peace and justice communities, the community of all creation.
Now I’m seeking to be in community
With the family down the street who live, with me and God knows who all else, in the community where our house happens to be.
Deep down inside, there is a part of me
That wants to, in the middle of the night,
Steal their flag
And replace it with one that just says “love”.
There's a part of me that wants to dare you to do it... :-)
Also...community is this space created by these prompts, filled with the words, thoughts, hopes, and dreams of so many. Thanks, Kaitlin and all of you for this community.
.vehicles.
as
a stone's throw.
Party lines.
Blue laws.
Casseroles.
Writing letters with that special pen.
goes to
www.
Zooms.
Clouds.
E-Cards
Saving "likes" in a virtual bag.
same, but different,
as the third/third tries to hang on.
.community.
Community is perhaps the most powerful thing in my healing and that ignited my imagination for liberation…
Expanding my practice of community outside of homogenous religious spaces to diverse and complex relationships committed to struggling together in Love has opened pathways to healing I could not have experienced alone…
Inviting community beyond human relationships to the Land, to Plants, to Animals, to Elements, to Spirits, and to Ancestors has provided a connection that grounds me on the hardest days…
Allowing my imagination to envision living a life in expansive, queer, interdependent community restores my energy and hope for a world where we all thrive.
I agree!!!
Community
a place to
be vulnerable
our true selves
the risk
rejection and shame
from our fears
and mistakes
having others see
the doubts and fears
we love with
in ourselves come alive
BUT
what if
we each
lay aside
those doubts and fears
presenting
the goodness
of our creation
as an offering
to build
not just community
but far better
beloved community
sharing
our joys and celebrations
and our pains and griefs
bearing them gently
saying
you belong
you are cherished
you make us better
to each member
we can
embody
something greater
to share
with the universe
the reward
loving wholeness
Such a beautiful expression of the Beloved Community. Thank you!
So beautiful!
Community
Community, I think, is formed simply by the
Common Bond
of Showing Up
Work Community,
School Community,
Spiritual Community,
Volunteer Community,
Online Community,
We choose which roles we’d like to inhabit
Or sometimes, roles are chosen for us
“I’m here too.”
“I see you.”
“Thank you for coming today.”
Sometimes we stay for far too long
Sometimes we leave before we’re ready
But communities make us who we are today
We are shaped and held by one another
Even right here, right now,
I am being shaped by these poems.
Thank you, community.
Community
An invitation
To show up,
Unworried or well-worn
To belong
Beloved as you are
An exhale
In a trembing world—
What wonderment it is
To be received.
Easter Vigil
We begin in the dim of sundown
and pass around the Pascal light, flames
begetting flames atop taper candles
inches from our faces, warm shadows
in a darkened narthex, we wait
in communion with one another
for One who recognized
that man should not be alone.
Someone once asked me
if you could be a part
of more than one community.
.
Yes, I said
without thinking
or maybe
with a lot of thinking.
.
I surprised them.
(Perhaps they wanted
more than I was offering
in the space they were building,
or strangling.
Hard to say which.)
.
In any case
I think we must believe
in open hands and
open hearts in multiple spaces.
We have to at least try
not to leave anyone behind.
I absolutely love this poem and connect with it. I'd love to buy the collection of these at the end of the month. The proceeds could go to you, Kaitlin, to support you and your family.
♥️♥️I’m working to figure that out!
I would agree with that for sure! 💖
Powerful and thought provoking. Thank you
This prompt was difficult for me! Your poem was beautiful, Kaitlin. "A connectedness beyond words."
Kaitlin, all I can say is wow, your poem is amazing!!