More Than This?

Today I'm inspired by a David Kirby poem "More Than This."  I highly suggest you read the poem here. While you're at it, read Kirby's notes on how he write his poems.

One of the things about David Kirby's poems is what is referred to as the 'boffo ending." I first heard this when I was a member of Toastmasters, and have heard it used a few times since. It is the determination to end whatever your performance or written art with a bang.

I used the final words of "More Than This" to begin the poem I am sharing here.

The world is so beautiful it

will give you no peace.

Often there is a 

 feeling of wanting more

or wanting something to be

different --but what?

And then realizing you have

every single thing in

front of you and inside you

that you will ever need.

Your wanting is the 

motivation to keep 

consistently looking

at that which

brings peace.

So, take heart.

There is no final answer.

Instead

repeatedly embrace

the beauty and knowledge

which is 

within.

You already know the way.

Starting My Day 2.24.26

This is how I started my day after I read the selection from Centering Prayer by Peter Trabon Haas

I didn't want to forget to write a poem, so I grabbed a line from a reading and this is what I wrote:

Though I lack wings to fly

I can walk through

this world with grace

and in peace.

Though I cannot swim deep

in the ocean,

I can bring a calm presence

to those around me.

Sometimes all it takes is

a smile.

Though it is unlikely I will

climb to the top of a mountain,

I can reach the peaks of

friendship, love, and

community

by reaching out

by being present

by including everyone.

 I drank my coffee and journaled, and then I found some happy sushi to color.

Happy Tuesday, all. 

Continue

My friend Kelley gave me this sentence and asked me to write a poem.

The sentence:

I carry the love forward, and I continue living.

Here is the poem.

I carry your love forward

and I continue living

My every breath misses you

Sometimes, I can only remember

when you were struggling

to get breath of your own

So, I treasure my breathing

Sometimes, I recall how difficult

travel had become

And I feel blessed I can travel

Always, I remember how you

loved me, expressing it in

our everyday lives continually

That kind of love changed me

Losing you changed me

even more

All of this I carry forward

each day

As I make my way on this

physical plane

                      without you

 

Heard at a Meeting

Reflections on an inspirational day

We think we need to help God

but what we need to do

is let God help us.

*

The monks have finished the Walk of Peace.

They say we can find peace by activating

lovingkindness

compassion

love

harmony

hope

*

I center on these messages

I heard on the 11th day of February

knowing my heart now carries

a true peace I have stretched

for these many years and could

never reach.

And why?

What is different?

I let God help me.

 

What Willie Nelson Says

Inspired by the poem "What Ray Charles Says" by David Kirby.

For Kelley

It's a bit obscure

and I'm glad I found it

A song called "Always Now"

Willie recorded in 2008

It's always now

There never was a used to be

Everything is still with me

And it's always now

This song soothes me

It helps me know Jim

is still here, even as time

goes on and it can feel like the

distance is growing.

But here's the thing...

It isn't 

It's always now

It's always our meeting

It's always our wedding day

It's always our pool parties

It's always Sunday golf

It's always going to Cancun

Ashe County

Nashville

It's always designing the home we built

It's always moving to Florida

It's always his unwavering

support and belief in me

It's always the time we

spent with family and friends

and at fancy Christmas parties

It's always the herb gardens

and him bringing me coffee

every morning and our dog

Macbeth jumping on the bed

It all lives in my heart

There's really only you and me

And it's always now

 

Peace-Filled Day

 “Today is my peaceful day.”

I caught the sunrise this morning.

The quote above is from a monk who is part of the Walk for Peace, the monks who are currently walking 2300 miles. Some evenings I catch their livestream of the dharma talk they give to crowds in the town they are in. They have caught the imagination of all of us who pray for peace on a daily basis. 

The teaching is always about setting an intention each day to be at peace--and then knowing if you aren't, you can stop, breathe, and refocus yourself on being at peace.

I set my intention today. I ran into issues being able to include these photos on this blog. No matter. I found a workaround and I'm still at peace.

Earlier it began to rain and I had things to mail. While walking back from the mailbox, I started to write this poem in my head. I've been trying to get to this blog for several days now, and this was just the motivation I needed. I have vowed to live my life as a writer once again, something that I feel got lost somewhere along the way. But it's coming back. Now and again I find it. Like today.

I walked out to the mailbox

on a cold, rainy February morning

hoodie protecting my head

flip-flops on my feet

I wasn't in a hurry

I took my time, looked

around

Thought about the

immense satisfaction

of sending a handwritten

card to a friend

Paying a couple of bills

I'm resting easy today

Small goals met

Nothing pressing on me

Wild rice and chicken soup

for lunch

Living my peace-filled day

one moment at a time.