Image of sparrow courtesy Abbey of the Arts.
This week Christine Valters Paintner of Abbey of the Arts is sponsoring her 45th Poetry Party. The theme this week is: Blessed Be. It arose from Christine's and Kayce Hughlett's work with Soul Care Supervision Groups in Seattle in reflecting on and making space during this Lenten season for honoring and blessing our "smaller selves".
Anyone may participate in Christine's "Invitation to Poetry". First, consider the questions and examples of Beatitudes provided here and then write your own Beatitude and its expression in an original poem. Contributions or links to contributions should be posted to Christine's comment box by Friday, March 26. Christine will draw a name at random from among participants and send the winner a copy of her new book Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements.
Below is my contribution.
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What Is Enough
Blessed are they who are thankful,
for they show us what is enough.
for they show us what is enough.
Legs twig-thinned, toes splayed,
you balance crumbed morsel
nit-picked ground to beak
and wait on
no more
blessing with skittered trillings
the handout of
a hand out.
You watch
for the anticipation,
the nodding pause
of giving
being its own best thanks.
See me. See me. See me.
It is enough
to be in this world
to be of it
to render unto Caesar
Caesar's due
to offer unto God
what things are God's alone
to give
to stand
the cobbled stone of earth
tender cracks
filling up
filling in filling out
the questions caught in eyes
making peace
with enough.
© 2010 Maureen E. Doallas. All Rights Reserved.
_________________________Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. ~ Matthew 22:21
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11 comments:
Hello, Maureen! I wanted to drop in and let you know that I plucked one of your comments from a couple of Mondays ago over at High Calling Blogs and included it in a round-up of people talking about the so-called "balance" of family-work. I felt like it would be interesting to continue the conversation on the "family" day, highlight some interesting responses, and perhaps interact with people who weren't necessarily involved in the book club discussion.
Loved what you had to say about creating a sustainable life. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us--you often take time to compose really insightful, meaningful, helpful responses...in both poetry and prose.
"Making peace with enough"
How profound.
Sometimes it is so hard to understand what my enough is.
Maureen ... what a lovely and moving poem and the challenge of making peace with enough is an important reminder. A friend taught me the Hebrew word "dayenu" which means "it would have been enough." A beautiful word for a beautiful thought. Dayenu ... your powerful beginning beatitude. Dayenu ... the profound poem that followed. Dayenu the reminder to make peace with enough. But you always offer us more, every day a new treasure.
good one. i like it.
i will check out the invite to poetry.
oh maureen, this is a lovely offering. when you take a peak at my post today, i know you'll see more than a few "coincidental" similarities :-)
thanks for the shout out honoring the work christine and i do. blessings to you this day!
I like it :-)
This was so peaceful, whispering contentment throughout.
and His eye is always upon them ...
Nice observations,very well written poem :0
Thanks for sharing with us xxx
Marinela
The poem was lovely; the photo of the sparrow - (to steal a commercial phrase) - priceless!
Such common little birds in our backyard, hardly noticed for the fact that we've given them various houses and rafters in which to build their nests in peace. They surprise us and make us laugh when we take time to observe; they change our moods, lighten our days. Sparrow, one of God's smallest overlooked creations:)
xoxo
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