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Invitation to Poetry: Love Letters to the World

Welcome to the Abbey’s Poetry Party #55!

I select an image and suggest a theme/title and invite you to respond with your own poem. Scroll down and add it in the comments section below. Feel free to take your poem in any direction and then post the image and invitation on your blog (if you have one), Facebook, or Twitter, and encourage others to come join the party! (permission is granted to reprint the image if a link is provided back to this post)

On Sunday, February 19th, I will draw a name at random from the participants and the winner will receive a free registration spot in my upcoming online art retreat for the season of Lent – Soul of a Pilgrim (February 22-April 7, 2012).

Image

This week we celebrate Valentine’s Day.  Instead of writing love letters and poems to our lovers and beloved ones, I am inviting you this week to write a poem that is a love letter to something from daily life, something absolutely ordinary, but when viewed in the right moment it becomes luminous.  It could be a seagull hovering over the water, steam rising from a cup of morning coffee, the beginning shoots of spring, even the dirty laundry left from someone we care about deeply, whatever it is that is calling your attention this week in the most ordinary and extraordinary way.

Click on the “leave a comment” feature and scroll down to the bottom to share your poem with this community.

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71 Responses

  1. The gift of flight where wings play host is an illusion
    For we too fly all over the world and universe with our minds
    Does our consciousness travel with us when we seek other realms?
    For we know not how we go nor do we know how we come back again

  2. Eyes Open

    With eyes wide open
    taking in the full view,
    I then divert attention
    to some particular sight.
    An image to paint
    taking me into
    the place of pure being
    or a need to fill,
    carrying with it
    attendant blessing.

    Betsy B Kitch
    7-9-2011

  3. Space and stillness
    finding the very essence of life
    there

    Space and stillness
    waking to quiet worship
    time

    Space and stillness
    from which to enter
    the world of work

    Space and stillness
    making room for
    fellow travellers

    Space and stillness
    to cherish the loved ones
    and companions

    Space and stillness
    to return and find
    I never left

  4. Astigmatism

    is this what happens
    when vision clears?

    i drop into myself
    heartbeat by heartbeat
    and feel blue blush
    whispers against
    the curve of my ear.

    i breathe them
    in
    and step
    with an ecstatic scream
    into a new reality
    where you wait.

  5. Warm, wet, wonderful, sweat hour
    Perspiration on the floor glistens
    Reassuring me of a greater power
    My whole being–mind-body-soul glistens

    Glory to my parts that move in precision
    Working in perfect harmony …human being
    Made unique in his image…His will be done
    My sweat …a gift of a Supreme Being

    Your loving heart causes mine to beat
    Your love gives me hope, truth, breath, Spirit
    I move, I run, I swim, I dance…. I retreat
    I still, drip, listen, knowing your righteous path