Saturday, May 31, 2014

OF SHAMANS AND HOOTY-OWLS


A Port Alberni back yard owl


The shaman walks the medicine way
leaving no footprints.
The cry of the owl bids you follow.

Take up your staff, wrap up well in your cloak,
for the night is cold and the fog will poke 
its chilly fingers
into every exposed inch of human skin,
seeking to steal some warmth
for itself.

Hush! for there be spirits here.

If you listen, you will hear
the heartbeat of an ancient cedar.
In its bark is the memory
of who you were a thousand years ago,
when it and you and the land 
were young.

In the night sky
is written the promise
of who you are becoming
a thousand years from now.
Gaze well, and remember,
so when at last you meet, 
you will recognize yourself.

There are dreamers, and there are
the ones being dreamed.
Awaken!
The journey of transformation
is the shedding of the false self
- the one who meets the world -
and the stripping away of everything
that is not essence, joy, wonderment,
trust and awe.

Peace
is knowing
all is as it is meant to be.
All we need do
is Surrender.

The mystical hooting of the owl
bids us safe passage
through this eery midnight world.
Hasten, for the shaman guide's cloak
is already swirling 
with the swiftness
of his being gone.



Reposted from 2013, for dVerse's Open Link, where Mary is tending bar. Check out the links, folks! The reading is guaranteed to  be good!

34 comments:

  1. there are dreamers and ones being dreamed...that whole stanza... The journey of transformation
    is the shedding of the false self
    - the one who meets the world -
    and the stripping away of everything
    that is not essence, joy, wonderment,
    trust and awe....so much truth in that...an we can do it or it will be done for us...in order for us to realize it....

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  2. i love the walking despite the cold - and in that listen to the wisdom, available around us if we dare to hear...

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  3. The heartbeat of an ancient cedar....love the thought of that...this is glorious Sherry! :-)

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  4. peace in the surrender...indeed. nicely woven

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  5. ah.. a starry sky is something I see way to rarely.. and that hooting owl.. Love that passage

    There are dreamers and the one being dreamt.. wonderful Sherry this made me want to walk out into the wood

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  6. Sherry, you certainly know how to make us pause and listen to Nature! Your words are beautiful and wise. Do you see owls where you live?

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    1. Only rarely, but they are here. They can be heard more often than seen, but the one in the photo was sitting in someone's back yard, big as life when she took this photo.

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  7. Such beautiful imagery in your words... but what I like the most is the wisdom of your words and how it is necessary to follow till the guide is gone and move on to live the life.
    That expression of heartbeat of the cedar is amazing.
    -HA

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  8. Sherry, you see so much depth in the owl and all the spirits of nature. I do like the idea of the own bidding us safe passage. It is a comforting thought indeed.

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  9. All is as it is supposed to be, as we follow and create our own path indeed

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  10. There are the ones dreaming and the ones being dreamed--Sherry you mystic you--this is a perfect embodiment of the journey--

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  11. I love the magic & mystery of nature ~ The message of awakening is very timely too as we tend to forget the spiritual world, one full of love and trust ~

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  12. Peace
    is knowing
    all is as it is meant to be.
    All we need do
    is Surrender.

    That's right Sherry! Peace is to be respected in all its goodness. Sadly though it is so elusive. Many do not surrender but react and even retaliate! Great write!

    Hank

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  13. I felt I was supposed to be comforted but I found it a little spooky!

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  14. satisfyingly enigmatic with a great closing passage

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  15. The fog poking fingers to steal warmth.. I can feel that. If you listen you will hear. I love, love that stanza. Really like your poem, Sherry.

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  16. Sherry, as you have said. We only need to listen. Love this part.
    "Peace
    is knowing
    all is as it is meant to be.
    All we need do
    is Surrender."

    Pamela ox

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  17. I love how you reminded us of peace and the need to surrender~ I love hearing owls hoot~

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  18. i love the way of the Shaman and strive to be this way..all your words here speak of natural truth to me..:)

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  19. In the night sky
    is written the promise
    of who you are becoming
    a thousand years from now.

    This resonates in me...

    What a breathtaking write...

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  20. I love the idea of the fog trying to steal some of your warmth for itself - wonderful! There is a lot of truth in this poem - the cedar carrying memories, the night sky showing your future. Lovely poem, Shelly. - Vivienne, of OneVoicePoetry

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  21. Beautiful - we are reminded that we are all connected to the past, the future and the now, across species, across continents. A comforting thought, and one that calms me. I will remember this, I think.

    By the way, the gorgeous photo of your Boy Pup reminds me of a dog I know - was he a Newfoundland? Such an alluring face...

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  22. Hi Sherry, I enjoyed the evocative depth of this - Awaken indeed...

    "Peace
    is knowing
    all is as it is meant to be." amen to that... With Best Wishes Scott

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  23. Sherry, This is so full of mystery and prophecy. The idea that victory can be found in surrender is so well shaped in this poem...Very nice work.
    Steve K.

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  24. Sherry,

    I absolutely love this poem so full of wisdom just like the owl. Favorite line and so true.

    There are dreamers, and there are
    the ones being dreamed.
    Awaken!

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  25. Awaken! Really like that stanza...we are not what we dream we are, nor are others what we imagine them to be...to see ourselves and others as each truly is...perhaps a bit frightening...but at the same time, a true blessing.

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  26. this was a 'hoot'. the owl is turning l@@king into your eyes wondering ...we share a wisdom. all i can do is hoot but you may speak for me.

    love this me amiga

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  27. beautiful, Sherry ~

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  28. The owl is such a powerful totem--I loved the second to last stanza--the whole poem, for that matter.

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  29. some dare to be the trail blazers, don't they.

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  30. I love this magickal reflection, and the descriptions of the natural world woven into it.

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  31. Oh wow this was an amazing poem, I loved the verse
    "If you listen, you will hear
    the heartbeat of an ancient cedar.
    In its bark is the memory
    of who you were a thousand years ago,
    when it and you and the land
    were young".
    Magical and full of mystique.

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  32. wow...gorgeous lines... If you listen, you will hear
    the heartbeat of an ancient cedar.
    In its bark is the memory....

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