Tuesday, September 19, 2023

TAKE THIS POEM



Cox Bay, Tofino
Warren Rudd photo

Take this beautiful morning,
this September sunshine,
this blue-sky day, with the song
of a thousand seabirds,
wheeling and circling
at the edge of the sea.

Take the eagle's cry,
from the top of the cedar,
as he surveys his kingdom.
Take the heron,
gliding past my window,
looking like a skinny matron,
purse clutched under
her wing.

Take the waves, rolling in like
white-maned horses, wave upon wave,
day after day - our own glimpse
of Eternity.

Take this moment, peaceful,
crisis-free;
breathe deep the ordinary, when
so much in this world is no longer
routine. Feel the peace
of nothing-going-on.
Let your prayers be prayers
of gratitude. May your tears
bless those living through
apocalyptic times.
(Our turn will come.)

Take this poem which
I offer you with open hands.
Take its wish that you
and all you love 
be blessed. Take my dream
of a green and flourishing earth.
Maybe if we share it,
some green tendrils
will begin to grow.

Take a break from the terrible
and disheartening news.
Step out into your front yard.
Lift your arms to
the cloud-dotted blue above,
the trees breathing with us in tandem,
such generous and benevolent beings.
Take this ordinary morning
into your heart and let it live there
all day long.
Take this poem,
like a prayer,
into your very being.
Let it sing.





for Mary's prompt at What's Going On? - Take This Poem, inspired by the poem of that title by Elizabeth Willis.


17 comments:

  1. Sherry, what a beautiful uplifting message. You have chosen so many examples from nature, things to be grateful for.

    My favorite stanza is:

    "Take this poem which
    I offer you with open hands.
    Take its wish that you
    and all you love
    be blessed. Take my dream
    of a green and flourishing earth.
    Maybe if we share it,
    some green tendrils
    will begin to grow."

    Maybe yes, at least hopefully. We have to start somewhere and keep hope alive!

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  2. Oh, Sherry, I love the surround of sound and movement you invoke, and then this: "breathe deep the ordinary, when
    so much in this world is no longer
    routine. Feel the peace
    of nothing-going-on."
    So much is going on even in the animal world, yet it may all be possible because of peace and the ordinary, crises far away, no disturbance in the daily lives at the border of sea and land, trees and sand. Thank you for this poem/prayer.

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  3. Such prayerful words! I can hear the poem breathing peace. From your poem the heron, looking like a skinny matron flew straight into my heart and is resting here. Aww...so sweet a poem!! Love it.

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  4. Yes let us rejoice in the beauty of the ordinary morning and give thanks. Lovely poem!

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  5. Rall wrote the above.

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  6. Sherry,
    An absolutely beautiful poem, which is more like a prayer. It embraces all that is around us and is good...a sharing wish for the world, away from the miseries we all endure: embracing the simplicity and goodness of nature..:)

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  7. I posted before reading the poems, so I was surprised and delighted that we both wrote about morning, Sherry. The opening stanza is enchanting with its ‘song / of a thousand seabirds, /wheeling and circling /at the edge of the sea’ – such a lovely image. And I smiled at the heron ‘looking like a skinny matron, / purse clutched under / her wing’.

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  8. Green tendrils and cloud-dotted blue forever! All things come to an end, even this summer. I'm glad September's brought you such a lovely poem!

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  9. Sherry, I feel energized by your prayer. Thank you <3

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  10. Sherry you have given us hope and a reminder of the joys in life. I take your message with a heart of gratitude -Truedessa

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  11. What a wonderful poem. You are so right Sherry. Expressing gratitude is a really important part of finding our way to better world. There is so much beauty in this world of ours. Taking time to appreciate it crucial for our wellbeing. I've been seeing a lot of eagles lately too. Last week I was privileged to see a sea eagle fishing by diving straight down into the sea. It was a sight to behold. Suzanne - Wayfaring - wordpress blog.

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  12. A plea so many should listen to.

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  13. I love the peace of nothing going on, and breathing with the trees in tandem.

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  14. "the song of a thousand sea birds'... THAT's one LOUD morning! LOVED the description of the heron! Waves - white maned horses - YOU ARE ON A ROLL! May we all grow green trendils. LOVE this!

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  15. Hey Sherry, Again I didn't receive the prompt on Wednesday. I signed up, I thought! Anyway, your post reminded me. And this poem, a reminder that there is much to be thankful for. Just open the door and breathe!!

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  16. Ahhhhhhh ... Sherry... this poem is balm for the soul....So absolutely heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

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  17. That's beautiful Sherry. We do need to appreciate the good things, as well as working to eliminate what is not good. To stop and wonder at the world's beautify is what gives us strength.

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