Nesting Season
There is always
a choice.
Perhaps in these
strange moments
it is a simple one;
to dwell on
what has been taken away
or to dwell
in what we have been given;
to build our nests anew
weaving safe and soft
a chance to breathe,
with all the terrible
possibility that brings;
to reflect,
to wonder,
to sit anew
in the secret depths
of those actions
of holy ordinariness;
eating,
drinking,
walking,
sleeping,
cleaning,
being with,
being alone,
simply being.
Taking the time
to watch the earth
reset and heal,
to allow our inner
sky to clear of
all our worry weather,
often as grey
and insubstantial
as clouds,
until the
one thing necessary
shines through
at last,
and we see
the present moment,
sky blue,
and fragile
as a blackbird’s egg,
nesting secure
in the heart,
deep within
the brambled hedge
of our thorn tangled
thoughts,
awaiting the stillness
of a spring morning
when we grant ourselves
new greening,
awaiting the sunbeam
of divine attention
to warm it to life,
awaiting our
sitting breath,
faith feathered
and yielding,
to hatch within us
a new way.
Brother Richard
Mar 30th 2020
You capture so much of what our heart needs to hear. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWonderful poem - I love it alost as much as "Lockdown" - which I think is abdolutely brilliant! Thank you for sharing your creative gifts so generously and with such love!
ReplyDelete...a word spoken in due season,
ReplyDeletehow good it is!
Spirit bird, gaze-drawn,
beyond the realm of war
tranquilly nests
...a word spoken in due season,
ReplyDeletehow good it is!
Spirit bird, gaze-drawn,
beyond the realm of war
tranquilly nests
Dear Brother Richard,
ReplyDeleteThis poem is such a beautiful and compassionate gift! Thank you for sharing your inspiring poetry! Your service through your poems is a great blessing to us all especially during this challenging time. I discovered your poem, Lockdown, on Brother David's website gratefulness.org. Now I am looking forward to hearing more from you as you continue to blog. I am a Unitarian Universalist minister in Connecticut, US, and am sharing Lockdown as our meditation and prayer during our online Easter worship. I hope to someday be able to attend retreat at the sacred site of Ards Friary. You are in my thoughts and prayers for wellness and peace. May you have a blessed Easter.
In Gratitude,
Rev. Shelly Thompson
Beautiful, moving inspiring words
ReplyDeleteThank you, Brother Richard. This poem is uplifting and most helpful in this strange time we are part of. We await.
ReplyDelete