Poems On The Porch
I am captivated by the simple beauty of a rooster crowing
and black-eyed Susans growing wild and free.
Buddha’s short dictate, “Train your mind in love,” makes sense to me;
no bells and whistles or fancy rituals,
but an invitation to focus on the gifts abundantly offered in this present moment.
Actions, words, and thoughts that violate wisdom are the symptoms of self-absorption.
So rather than feed the demons that perpetuate pain,
I am smiling to the yoke-hued daylilies springing forth in exultation,
to the regal bluejay flying from limb to limb,
and to the utterly relaxed felines populating this porch.
There is a cool breeze softly stimulating the chimes,
and off in the distance, I hear the call of a cardinal.
One last gladiolus is blooming pink.
There goes a squirrel scampering up the water oak,
while the cicadas crescendo and a yellow butterfly flits up and down.
The song of the mourning dove reminds me that life is always both/and — —
precious, sacred, holy.
Engaging With The Poem
Poetry can be a doorway to the soul and your own creativity. Throughout the ages, the written word has been used as a means to access personal truth and as a vehicle for prayer through the practice of sacred reading (lectio divina). I encourage you to try this beautiful practice and let its truths to be self-evident.
How To Practice Sacred Reading
Read+Reflect+Respond+Rest
READ the passage through slowly more than once, noticing how it feels in your body and the response of your heart.
REFLECT: What word resonates with you? What phrase speaks to you? What overall personal meaning comes to you? Allow yourself to follow a tangent.
RESPOND by making space for the prayer of your heart to manifest. Write down the words and/or phrases that resonate with you, and allow them to arrange themselves into your own poem or prayer.
REST with your eyes closed, perhaps using the word that most resonates with you as your mantra for silent meditation.
Dear friend,
May your mind be peaceful and calm,
may your body be relaxed and comfortable,
and may your heart be filled with love.
Thank you for reading.
Blessings and gratitude,
Ani