This month I’m reprising one of my favorite inspirational poems, from a 14th-Century Persian poet in the Sufi mystical tradition.
We invite you to spend time in contemplation with this poem by Mahmud Shabestari. Then join in the conversation with your own poetic response.
EVERY PARTICLE OF THE WORLD IS A MIRROR
Every particle of the world is a mirror;
In each atom lies the blazing light
of a thousand suns.
Read complete passage with haiku responses
After an unrelenting series of winter-gray days, this quiet poem lifted my heart and sent me outside, in search of my own dusting of snow.
We invite you to spend time in contemplation with this poem by Robert Frost. Then join in the conversation with your own poetic response.
Dust of Snow
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
We invite you to spend time in contemplation with this passage from the Tao Te Ching. Then join in the conversation with your own poetic response.
We join spokes together in a wheel,
but it is the center hole
that makes the wagon move.
We invite you to spend time in contemplation with this milking prayer from The Carmina Gadelica, a collection of prayers, poetry, and folklore from the Celtic oral tradition. Then join in the conversation with your own poetic response.
Milking Prayer
Bless, O God, my little cow,
Bless, O God, my desire;
Bless Thou my partnership
And the milking of my hands, O God.
We invite you to spend time in contemplation with this well-known (and widely inspiring) passage from the prophet Ezekiel, then join in the conversation with your own poetic response.
THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES
EZEKIEL 37:1-10The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” Read complete passage with haiku responses
We invite you to spend time in contemplation with this poem by Jelaluddin Rumi, then join in the conversation with your own poetic response.
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
We invite you to spend time in contemplation with these verses from Psalm 131, then join in the conversation with your own poetic response.
Psalm 131: 1-3
O LORD, I am not proud;
I have no haughty looks.
I do not occupy myself with great matters,
or with things that are too hard for me.
