Poems From The Porch
Lucy & Gatito (above)
Do we ever open our hands completely?
What does it mean to be a participant in change?
I kiss my friend and inhale her scent
knowing that she is here just for now.
The sweet fragrance of her
is the only thing that truly lasts
in my heart.
Another friend, Lucy, died Tuesday,
suddenly,
instantly,
a freak accident,
like another death
on a Tuesday in September.
A portion of me died, too,
in ways that my mind has yet to comprehend.
It is a very human part,
the piece that clings to autonomy and control,
to pride.
To acknowledge vulnerability,
to ask for help,
to receive support,
this is the cessation of an illusion.
Full acceptance means cooperating with impermanence
and believing the truth that I am,
and will never be,
alone,
that I am meant to embrace my place in community,
giving and receiving.
But that is not all.
There is another verity that is fundamental to life,
a lesson that is done unto each of us
amidst the mental replays,
the trauma,
the horror.
True love cannot exist without the pain of loss.
That's just how it is.
That's just
how it is.
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