Comments on: Invitation to Poetry: Guardians of the Threshold http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/ Transformative Living through Contemplative & Expressive Arts Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:41:56 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: isa http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-97279 isa Fri, 15 May 2009 19:00:03 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-97279 beauty and joy are always sneaking out on every post here greetings, caroline, i beauty and joy are always sneaking out on every post here
greetings, caroline,

i

]]> By: Carolyn http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-97271 Carolyn Fri, 15 May 2009 18:19:02 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-97271 isa - I agree with Christine; beautiful.... isa – I agree with Christine; beautiful….

]]> By: Christine http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-97269 Christine Fri, 15 May 2009 18:15:04 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-97269 isa -- beautiful as always, I can make out some of your words, but the music of them is just delicious. isa — beautiful as always, I can make out some of your words, but the music of them is just delicious.

]]> By: Christine http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-97268 Christine Fri, 15 May 2009 18:14:06 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-97268 Terri -- I went to your blog and finally signed up for a WindowsLive account and entered my comment but it wouldn't add. Apparently you have strong guardians at your comments. :-) There is great movement and energy in your poem -- I love the moment of casting the sacred net, very evocative. Thanks for the lovely offering! Terri — I went to your blog and finally signed up for a WindowsLive account and entered my comment but it wouldn’t add. Apparently you have strong guardians at your comments. :-) There is great movement and energy in your poem — I love the moment of casting the sacred net, very evocative. Thanks for the lovely offering!

]]> By: thymekeeper http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-97196 thymekeeper Fri, 15 May 2009 12:36:39 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-97196 These are inviting words with a delightful image to ponder... I'm considering searching for just the right creature to sit at the door of new home. As I try to converse with this image, most of my words are getting tangled up in details of moving and the stuff of boxes, but these few words come forth: (on my blog they are formatted differently which is part of the message for me, take a look) Let her Yes mean Yes Fully, sincerely Firmly, honestly Coming from her core Honored by all May her Yes be a "Sacred Yes" Let her No mean No Fully, sincerely, Firmly, honestly Coming from her core Honored by all May her No be a "Sacred No" Woven into living together each yes and no sustain life set boundaries nurture hope redeem wounds honor the Holy One delight the Spirit May it be so! These are inviting words with a delightful image to ponder… I’m considering searching for just the right creature to sit at the door of new home. As I try to converse with this image, most of my words are getting tangled up in details of moving and the stuff of boxes, but these few words come forth:

(on my blog they are formatted differently which is part of the message for me, take a look)

Let her Yes mean Yes

Fully, sincerely

Firmly, honestly

Coming from her core

Honored by all

May her Yes be a “Sacred Yes”

Let her No mean No

Fully, sincerely,

Firmly, honestly

Coming from her core

Honored by all

May her No be a “Sacred No”

Woven into living

together each yes and no

sustain life

set boundaries

nurture hope

redeem wounds

honor the Holy One

delight the Spirit

May it be so!

]]> By: isa http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-97110 isa Fri, 15 May 2009 04:16:32 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-97110 thresholds are always a mysterious point in my way in and out. everytime i go through one, my soul shivers when she feel the darkness over it; and at the same time, the fascination of entering into the still not reached clear sight of whtever is behind the threshold. reading the poems and reflections is a many-sided mirror of this same dazzling sensation, and though, each has it own rapture my words, as always, in spanish: Umbrales en los umbrales encrespando al vacío, las gárgolas esperan. lejos y cerca las campanas repican su contento al viento. sombras al vuelo alza los brazos y los ojos al cielo la anciana en oración y se le va el alma con su recogimiento hasta el umbral del sol. gaviotas y palomas con ritmo silencioso pintan de azul su rezo. blessings i thresholds are always a mysterious point in my way in and out.
everytime i go through one, my soul shivers when she feel the darkness over it; and at the same time, the fascination of entering into the still not reached clear sight of whtever is behind the threshold.

reading the poems and reflections is a many-sided mirror of this same dazzling sensation, and though, each has it own rapture

my words, as always, in spanish:

Umbrales

en los umbrales
encrespando al vacío,
las gárgolas esperan.
lejos y cerca
las campanas repican
su contento al viento.
sombras al vuelo
alza los brazos
y los ojos al cielo
la anciana en oración
y se le va el alma
con su recogimiento
hasta el umbral del sol.

gaviotas y palomas
con ritmo silencioso
pintan de azul su rezo.

blessings

i

]]> By: Terri http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-97033 Terri Thu, 14 May 2009 21:50:35 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-97033 Elaine: As a Capital SJ social justice type person, your poem screamed at me! Thank you very much. -Terri Elaine: As a Capital SJ social justice type person, your poem screamed at me! Thank you very much. -Terri

]]> By: Christine http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-97028 Christine Thu, 14 May 2009 21:24:29 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-97028 Elaine T., you offer so many beautiful images here, that first one is just luscious to say -- "yes to every green / blade leaf life-shimmer / of spring." This image was especially powerful: "A turbulent human river of “no”" and your question "where is our no?" repeated demands to be answered. Elaine T., you offer so many beautiful images here, that first one is just luscious to say — “yes to every green / blade leaf life-shimmer / of spring.” This image was especially powerful: “A turbulent human river of “no”” and your question “where is our no?” repeated demands to be answered.

]]> By: Elaine T. http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-96914 Elaine T. Thu, 14 May 2009 12:26:12 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-96914 And Yes And yes to every green blade leaf life-shimmer of spring And yes to all the blue cloud spaces-water mirrors-peace mountains of my land And yes to multiple shades of skin holding so tenderly the magnificent souls of friends Today there is no no Only yes and yes and yes Where Is Our No? We park our large butts In the pews of Catholic churches Stand and wish each other peace Your manicured navy-officer hand Pushed the buttons in the cockpit That annihilated our brothers called gooks We praised your glorious service Until the streets filled with A turbulent human river of “no” Now other men’s sons Trained to kill and kill Come home in coffins We praise their glorious service Where is our no? We struggle in our web of violence Our brains our sweat our taxes Go to bloody war We praise their glorious service Where is our no? Our priests bless the instruments of death Saturated in a culture of revenge We stand and wish each other peace Where is our no? Where is our no? Elaine T. And Yes

And yes to every green
blade leaf life-shimmer
of spring

And yes to all the blue
cloud spaces-water mirrors-peace mountains
of my land

And yes to multiple shades
of skin
holding so tenderly
the magnificent souls
of friends

Today there is no no
Only yes and yes and yes

Where Is Our No?

We park our large butts
In the pews of Catholic churches
Stand and wish each other peace
Your manicured navy-officer hand
Pushed the buttons in the cockpit
That annihilated our brothers called gooks
We praised your glorious service
Until the streets filled with
A turbulent human river of “no”

Now other men’s sons
Trained to kill and kill
Come home in coffins
We praise their glorious service
Where is our no?

We struggle in our web of violence
Our brains our sweat our taxes
Go to bloody war
We praise their glorious service
Where is our no?

Our priests bless the instruments of death
Saturated in a culture of revenge
We stand and wish each other peace
Where is our no?
Where is our no?

Elaine T.

]]> By: Christine http://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2009/05/11/invitation-to-poetry-guardians-of-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-96737 Christine Wed, 13 May 2009 22:19:16 +0000 http://abbeyofthearts.com/?p=2451#comment-96737 Frangelica, these are beautiful words and you paint a wonderful story here. My favorite line is "when the lights are out / the darkness and silence weaves our song / sleep shelters our souls and we remember love / a strong sweet truth" and those closing words about meeting in a midnight downpour. _________________ Michaela, your poem makes me smile, I love this playful demanding of boundaries that brings with it an awareness of all the ways the yes without the no can wreak havoc. And of course, that guardian dwells deep within you so she can be called upon for such unpleasant tasks. :-) _________________ Dhyan, welcome to the Poetry Party! I look forward to future contributions from you! _________________ Anne, "a conduit for tenderness" / "A channel for essence" are such wonderful images and those last two lines express exquisitely the nature and gift of the sacred no and sacred yes. _________________ Holly, I love that your guardian is a heffalump and I love the playful humor of your poem. _________________ Thank you, thank you, thank you all! These are amazing to read together. Frangelica, these are beautiful words and you paint a wonderful story here. My favorite line is “when the lights are out / the darkness and silence weaves our song / sleep shelters our souls and we remember love / a strong sweet truth” and those closing words about meeting in a midnight downpour.
_________________

Michaela, your poem makes me smile, I love this playful demanding of boundaries that brings with it an awareness of all the ways the yes without the no can wreak havoc. And of course, that guardian dwells deep within you so she can be called upon for such unpleasant tasks. :-)
_________________

Dhyan, welcome to the Poetry Party! I look forward to future contributions from you!
_________________

Anne, “a conduit for tenderness” / “A channel for essence” are such wonderful images and those last two lines express exquisitely the nature and gift of the sacred no and sacred yes.
_________________

Holly, I love that your guardian is a heffalump and I love the playful humor of your poem.
_________________

Thank you, thank you, thank you all! These are amazing to read together.

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