A really interesting poetry party this week. Do read the article - and play the door game - mentioned by Christine at Abbey of the Arts who says:
Our Twentieth Poetry Party! I select an image and suggest a title and invite you to respond with your poems, words, reflections, quotes, song lyrics, etc. Leave them in the comments or email me and I’ll add them to the body of the post as they come in along with a link back to your blog if you have one (not required to participate!) I’ll add your contributions all week and then I will draw a name at random on Friday from everyone who participates and will send the winner a copy of my newest zine Season by the Sea: A Contemporary Book of Hours. Feel free to take your poem in any direction and then post the image and invitation on your blog and encourage others to come join the party! (a blog is definitely not required to participate!)
Last week I discovered this article about the advantages of limiting our options in a world where we have such an abundance of choices, both superificial as in what kind of TV to buy and the more serious as in where to live geographically or what kind of work to engage in. We have so many more options than just a couple of generations ago and it can be both liberating and dizzying. Lately I have been contemplating the way I feel pulled in many directions sometimes because I have many gifts and many ways I want to express them. I love the many facets of the work I do, but I recognize an inner pull or call to begin to consider saying no to some options as a way of developing myself in one or two areas.
We tend to believe that open doors are signs of the sacred. So I thought this might be worth exploring in poetry — have there been times when a door closing was a blessing? Can you imagine which options you might like to limit in order to have a fuller sense of how you are being called?
And if somewhere deep inside you is a voice saying “no, I don’t want to close any doors” — then write a poem about that!
This week I listened to an interesting radio programme about Haiku. Seventeen syllables seems a good counterpoint to my last long poem so here goes:Shortlisted again
Despondent can I choose to
Bless the closing door
Thanks Christine. There may be more to come!
8 comments:
Thanks for playing Mavis, I am glad you liked the article and Haiku sounds like a very appropriate form to address this theme! I also like the way you changed the last line in your process to reflect this new invitation.
I like this a lot Mavis :-)
Thanks Sally and Christine. I have been searching for the open door and this process has helped to shift my perspective.
I like the haiku!
open doors represent opportunities to begin a new life. blessings to you and your friends. stay focused on Him. scott
www.scottrdavis.blogspot.com
for inspiration.
Thanks Jan and Scott. Christine has provided an opportunity to reflect not only on the promise of open doors but also on the gift of closing doors.
Learning to see opportunity in limitation can be so difficult for us, but I think God can work that way--even if he wasn't necessarily the one to close the door. Thanks for the thought-provoking post and for visiting my blog.
Nice to meet you Ruth. I visited Ian and Evan this morning too, and that family is in my thoughts and prayers.
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