WriteArt II

This poem arose from a lesson in The Spiral Path, an online course offered by Heather Plett, whose work on Holding Space offers a beautiful, necessary way forward in difficult times. ( www.heatherplett.com )

We were invited to journal about the old stories that have been ruling our lives and that we’d like to release. We cut those journal pages into sentence strips and then into individual words that we rearranged into a poem.

No extra words were added to smooth out the message. Only some punctuation and capitalization (although it feels important to note that the word ‘Life,’ appearing twice in the poem, was already capitalized both times I pulled it from the composting word heap and the colon was already in place in the line ‘Your mentors are:’).

I was blown away by what arose from that pile of words once it was freed from the tyranny of those familiar, out-of-date stories. I received a clear message for my own way forward that I decided to share here because . . . well . . . just because. I believe (or maybe I just hope) this poem might speak to others looking for a way forward. If not, I invite you to try this alchemical process for yourself and mine your own gold.

A Way Forward

So be yourself.

A different, invisible power,

releasing silence.

A different cause,

believing the world can grow.

I’m talking trouble.

A good trouble.

Translates stories into Life,

and Life into needed stories.

Releasing status.

Espousing quiet.

Nature wields a helping message.

Why keep order?

It is no fun.

Speak up.

Have you served someone the observations that upset?

Good.

Question everyone!

Agreeing with small thoughts is never safe.

Don’t interrupt the growing boat

carrying the true teachers,

responsible for another story.

Your mentors are:

young.

So young.

Mighty ones, full of needed life.