We sit in a close knit circle, the lights dim yet bright enough to read by. We listen to a version of the fool's journey and it is hard to believe that we are nearing the end of our own journey as a collective. Tonight we will feast on words we've written, reading from a book of potery that we've created individually and as a group.
 | “Poetry is not merely a luxury for the middle classes – it offers a tough language for those with hard lives.” Jeanette Winterson It is the final evening of Self Discovery Through Poetry Writing facilitated by Krista Clement at Real Caring. Less than two months have passed since we began this group exploration yet all of us feel we've known each other much longer; word crafting weaves such magic. |
The author in the middle of creating a group poem. Seven weeks ago, we began by reading the words of Hafiz,“God pours light into every cup, quenching darkness...” We spoke of what holds us, what we hold. We began to open the containers of ourselves sharing our stories through poetry, tentative at first, but growing bolder with each new try.
We moved through our collective discovery, embracing our wild child selves and working on the “yoga,” or unity of poetic practice. We used words to manifest our essential selves, used words to find compassion for ourselves and others leading towards personal freedom. Each session ended in the ritual of writing a poem as a group exposing the commonalities of our human experience. We were all amazed at the ease of writing together, the synchronicity of it...the magic!
On this seventh and last evening I peer around the sacred geometry of our circle enjoying the warmth of the genuine connection and affection. I note silently how we, like the fool in the narrative, have arrived back at the beginning. Only now we can see ourselves and each other with greater clarity and compassion. Together we embrace the light in our collective cup, a light to expose the darkness, a light that pours “like rain into every empty cup set adrift on the ocean.” (Hafiz)
We moved through our collective discovery, embracing our wild child selves and working on the “yoga,” or unity of poetic practice. We used words to manifest our essential selves, used words to find compassion for ourselves and others leading towards personal freedom. Each session ended in the ritual of writing a poem as a group exposing the commonalities of our human experience. We were all amazed at the ease of writing together, the synchronicity of it...the magic!
On this seventh and last evening I peer around the sacred geometry of our circle enjoying the warmth of the genuine connection and affection. I note silently how we, like the fool in the narrative, have arrived back at the beginning. Only now we can see ourselves and each other with greater clarity and compassion. Together we embrace the light in our collective cup, a light to expose the darkness, a light that pours “like rain into every empty cup set adrift on the ocean.” (Hafiz)
  Jennifer Smith is an artist, poet, yogi, dancer, and nature enthusiast living in Utah County | Real Caring Poetry Collective Group Poem: Day One At this moment be open calm and content. Death enters and exits-- fathomless and foggy, gentle and loving. Happiness Intrigued, jokes and jostles kisses and caresses loving every moment. Nonetheless, open, stay open. Pour yourself, quicken and rise! |
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