In the presence of Self
in a place of Alone
where words dismantle and disperse
just as dreams that disappear upon rising
I sit and drink sweet Columbian brew
from a china cup
Cherokee sighs, her tawny gold fur
resigned to carpet while paws twitch,
ears lay flat and deaf
nose clocked-off and eyes
dimmed beneath soft-lidded mounds
My g-o-D spelled backwards
snores in her sleep
The coffee-maker base
clicks on… and off
as it heats and cools
on… and off
an electric lung
breathing the silence
of kitchen and space
No radio, tv or iPod tunes
unravel the morning
in this place of Alone
no racing to work
or seeking solutions
to revolutions and chaos
and all the troubles
that humans burden
and chase
while amassing wealth
discarding waste
their cycles of activity
dizzying and pointless
In this place of Alone
where worlds dismantle
and disperse like dreams
I sit and drink
from a china cup
with only the movement
of breath flowing in
…and out
in…
and out
Blood pulses
like highway traffic
while I surrender
to the awareness
of d-o-G spelled backwards
Submitted to Jingle’s Poetry Potluck and One Shot Wednesday
Wow, really gorgeous piece of writing. My favourite lines have got to be: ‘In this place of Alone/ where worlds dismantle/ and disperse like dreams’. 🙂
Thanks, inhaleex… Welcome to my site, and thanks for introducing me to yours!
Took me by surprise where you were going with your poem at…
“to revolutions and chaos
and all the troubles
that humans burden
and chase
while amassing wealth
discarding waste
their cycles of activity
dizzying and pointless”
A great progression of thought and emotion occurring within the frame of the moment.
This is serene and peaceful I think I should start my days with a warm cup of green tea out in the garden hmmm
Hello Mind! Green tea in the garden sounds wonderful. Let me know how it went…
Earthy and sensitive, this poem reads like a mantra for the soul. Beautiful!
Thank you, Kay! What lovely feedback – if my prayer/meditation touched you and your soul, it confirms that God-energy was flowing, not directed by me, but knowing where it was needed and filling the open space.
love your capture of all that is going on around you as you seek that solitude with d-o-G..it give great texture…enjoy your time together…
Thanks, Brian. I had a little epiphany the other day, realizing that the black void I was feeling around me recently, was not caused by the autobiographic story I was writing (probably the darkest time of my life), but by my disconnect from God. Somehow I had let the world and all its distractions get between me and the awareness of grace, the constant contact, and the handing over of my will. Writing the poem became an act of prayer – a meditation – a cleansing. Through it all – the black void and the cleansing – my dog was beside me. Just like God. No wonder they share the same letters!
i am glad you had that epiphany…and that this spilled out of it…writing is often a meditation for me as well…
ps. your comment made my day today…smiles.
Quite an excellent write. One of the best in the present moment pieces i have read in a while. It was meditative for me as well, as a read it. I agree with the d o g, / g o d idea , too 🙂 with God all things are possible. Glad you recognized the absence and drew close to him once again. Many blessings. Sheila
Thanks, Sheila! How lovely to know you could draw upon the meditation and share its beneficial peace.
Thanks, Sheila. Being present in-the-moment makes everything more alive for me, more deep and fulfilling. When I remember to be in the here and now (90% of the time I forget) it does feel like meditation, whether I’m writing, washing dishes, buying fruit, or reading – in fact just about anything becomes like an act of prayer. Now, if only I could remember not to forget to be in the 90% moments…
I absolutely love this piece and the truth it encapsulates so uniquely. It is only when we shut everything else out and are totally alone, habitually, that G-o-d is able to catch our attention! Beautiful!
Thanks, Elizabeth. “Totally alone” can happen any time, anywhere when we slow down and notice the moment. This is what good writers/poets/artists do. I believe we are driven to create because we seek that perfection of “being” in the moment. We then discover that there is no such thing as totally alone – since everything is interconnected – we just vibrate at different speeds.
Lovely, peaceful, serene. Wish all of my mornings started this way. Very nicely done.
Thank you Ginny. Morning can start any time of the day. Like right now…
Really liked this piece…it described a perfect recipe for peaceful reflection. Moments like that are pure gold. This flowed effortlessly like a creek gently winding through a forest. A bit envious of your magnolia…I am the proud owner of the only one in the world that doesn’t bloom. Best, Vb
Thanks VB. Sorry to hear about your Magnolia. Mine belongs to the neighborhood – its about 35 years old apparently, and gets lots of sun and water. No idea what the trick is for blossoms other than sun and water… Glad you enjoyed the reflection. Thanks for visiting!
Finally a place and a chance to meditate and relax.
Please do, anytime. May I suggest a couple of poems that set the meditative mood? Try these:The Wakening, Zen Riddle, Blue, and Vespers; and for inspiration on writing free verse, try the poem, Twenty Words: Poetry Workshop with Quinton Duval You’ll find them all on the list on my Homepage.
I enjoyed reading more of your blog – what a pity that branch is dead (and gone?) it looks like one of those gorgeous and knarled California Cypress trees near Pebble Beach. Beautiful works of nature!!
Yes when solitude is sought
Nothing better can be bought
Chuck away all the plugged in crap
Just lying down for a nap
Great words you bring into play
As I read this today
Since thanks are due, I’ll write to you
but I’m not quite sure what to say
Since you spent some time
To write your sweet rhyme
When all I did was pray
This was a lovely reflection, I love how first words, then worlds dismantle… very thoughtful, serene write. Greatly enjoyed this!
You saw the subtle change – Well Done! I wondered if anyone would catch it. For me it was important because everything started with The Word (the thought – the intention) and then Worlds (the result which became the chaos), before one has to pull back, breath deep and return to God-awareness.
Thanks for your kind comments.
i love the peacefulness of this…the sounds you describe…take me perfectly into the scene…and love the d-o-G wordplay at the end…hope you had a great time together..
Thanks, Claudia. I love having readers who notice the subtle and seek deeper meaning. As I wrote this poem, I became more aware of how much God I find when I connect with my Dog, who loves without judgment, and who brings out the best in me when I give attention to her. To her I give service, time, compassion, patience, and all is given with joy and gratitude. For me it is an honor to be the one who gets to care for her. She teaches me how to love, how to serve, how to be in the moment, how to live without labels. All of this teaches me how to be in the rest of my life with others, and with prayer and awareness and within God.
your words touch and inspire.
Thanks for the beauty in your poetry.
mediation is divine.
Thank you, Jingle. The poets who write on your blog inspire me all the time, so it is good to know you got something back.
Isn’t it an amazing, a mystical and magical feeling of such hightened awareness when we can ‘still’ our minds and selves for long enough to become aware of the presence of something all powerful, all around us and within!
You’ve captured it so well here. Lovely prose!
Yes, it is. For years I struggled so hard to do it, and then one day I realised I had been doing it for years – not daydreaming, but letting my mind see, hear, feel what surrounded me, and not trying to label everything. It was suddenly so simple, so easy, as long as I slowed down and gave my attention to the moment. Done consciously with an attitude of gratitude, curiosity and wonder, it became a form of wordless prayer for me.
Hey! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.
Thank you, Angila, for your very kind words of suport. I’m afraid I don’t use Twitter at this point. By the time I answer e-mails and work on my paid-writing projects, I hardly have time left to write on Brokenpen, which is my playground! So for now, my best suggestion is to subscribe to brokenpenwriter (the link button is on the top, right of the page) and you’ll get an e-mail every time I post something.
Best wishes!
Breathing in the silence…instead of the delirious chaos…if only we did it more often. If only we could push aside the tangled branches of endless thought and find that path through the thick undergrowth that would take us to that placid pool, where we could look down into the waters and see our true reflections. Loved this meditative post.
Hello Nadira! Forgive my quietness of late – I’m in the midst of changes – time-consuming and distracting, but all good. I’m so grateful to see your kind face and read your comments. In a few weeks things will settle down and I’ll be back on line again. Looking forward to reading your blog and keeping up our “conversation.” Best wishes dear friend