The crone, wrinkled and gnarled,
with her long stringy hair,
is stirring in the forest
in her nest of leaves.
Rabbits and wolf cubs perk their ears
and the bear is arrested mid-swoop,
while fishing in the river.
The Old One is sounding the drum,
its reverberating thrum
calling the Council of All Beings
to the river's edge.
Her drumbeat is calling me
out of the grey town.
It beckons me deep
into the forest's heart,
where all is green, and silent
and sacred.
I enter the primeval sepulchre
as the world goes still
and falls away.
The way forward is written
somewhere
within that stillness.
I need but listen closely,
to find my way.
One from 2013, my friends, shared with the Poetry Pantry this Sunday morning.
Sometimes I have also found the connection to the woods like that, but more with birds than wolf cubs.. I do love that particular image.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful, listen to the call of the drum as it will will beat within your own heart.
ReplyDeleteIf you listen carefully the message will be heard! Nature's message will be clear.
ReplyDeleteI love how you have found a place to retreat to away from the grey town - maybe whilst sat down and looking out the window? As if each beat takes you further and further there xo
ReplyDeleteI feel this poem now as I listen to calls in nature and to its still ness as well...looking for that way forward....it is there if I but listen in the still ness....superb Sherry!
ReplyDeleteThat stillness at dusk gives a similar feeling.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful imagery. I liked the last verse, I enter the Primeval sepulchre as the world goes still and falls away.
If only we would just stop and listen! Beautiful and wise as always Sherry! ❤
ReplyDeleteIf only we would just stop and listen! Beautiful and wise as always Sherry! ❤
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Indeed, one just needs to listen to nature with all their heart and soul :D
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Sanaa
'Old One' drum sounds very magnificent and sacred... it's a gift to be able to hear what they are saying.....inspiring!
ReplyDeleteWe all need to listen closely to our inner crone and find our way. Love this Sherry. I like the introspection it invites and the stimulation from the drum of the crone - the wise one. I like how you are able to write like this, like magic. It seems to touch something within, sobconsciously.
ReplyDelete"The way forward is written somewhere within that stillness." - as I believe it always is. If only mankind would look and listen. A wonderful expression of heeding that which nature is telling us. Lovely, Sherry.
ReplyDeletePractically an allegory for Meditative practices :)
ReplyDeleteWe are all ears for the drumbeats but the sound is lost in concrete jungles save for a few bird calls that I hear now as I type...the drumbeat is in the words too, dear Sherry...
ReplyDeleteLove it all of course - and particularly that beautiful ending.
ReplyDeleteLuv the emphasis of awareness and the task of listening
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my Sunday Lime this week
Much love...
We must all take care not to lose our way with all of the distractions of the world Sherry. Well said in your lovely words! I hope you have a good week! Hugs!
ReplyDeletewe are so far away from nature's lap that such drums for us only beat in poetry.
ReplyDeleteI'm listening, too... and dancing towards her.
ReplyDeleteIf I don't have to sit next the the crocodiles, the snakes and the spiders I would be happy to be there and listen. It saddens me so much to see how little value these places have in our greedy world. However we have to keep telling our story too.
ReplyDeleteThe way forward is written
ReplyDeletesomewhere within that stillness.
One has a good lead in life but more often these are not taken to benefit oneself.They are not discovered and let pass!
Hank
The way forward is written
ReplyDeletesomewhere within that stillness.
One has a good lead in life but more often these are not taken to benefit oneself.They are not discovered and let pass!
Hank
The way forward may indeed be written, but so many times its difficult to decipher the writing.
ReplyDelete