William Blake on Perception

Man's perceptions are not bounded by organs of perception, he perceives more than sense (tho' ever so acute) can discover.

~William Blake, There is No Natural Religion

Awake

Three Word Wednesday, prompt words nasty, heat, cease.

Awake

Before we make fools
of ourselves
by nasty words
and worse actions;
when light and heat mingle
with quiet breath
and we are not ashamed;
depending on something
other than
what we wear, own, or believe;
that brief moment
that touches eternity,
exposed
yet precious
like a child, like a child.
Each morning an entrance
where knowledge vanishes,
prophecies fail,
tongues cease.

Peace that Passes All Understanding

A late, unrefined Three Word Wednesday. Prompt words bump, transfix, knuckle.

Peace that Passes All Understanding

He prayed, “Bless those fighting
for peace.” And I scratched
my head in wonder. How can
this be? The world waits
transfixed, fearing the loss
of all, and we ask Almighty God:

Bless us, O Lord, as we
march on to Zion,
beat plows into swords,
carve trees into clubs,
bump off every opponent,
raise bloody knuckles,
make peace by war.

Not for Nothing

For Three Word Wednesday, prompt words gag, omit, maintain. I had this ready earlier, but had an argument with myself about the best order for the stanzas. Settled on this for now.

Not for Nothing

It's not for nothing
I come early to Tumble Creek,
leaving the noisy boundaries
of progress and order to learn
the wind's soft syllables.

The architects of Paradise
have Nature bound and gagged,
allowing her to speak barely
in well-maintained green accents--

but I need to see Nature wild,
hear her whisper mysteries
known only to those who
love their place, who listen
with the care that omits nothing.

Worth

This needs some work, but I've got to get back in the swing of things somehow. For Three Word Wednesday, prompt words grip, prefer, thread.


Why worship the glory of the bottom line,
Laboring to multiply unneeded goods
While leaving the Good undesired?
We are what we prefer.

Each day the same:
Grip the key
That sparks the fire
That turns us to
The widening gyre
Incensed gods
Who tromp and pound
Affection and wonder
Into the ground

And so we prove our worth.
Weaving threads of death
Inconsiderately, life
Ornate but bare within.

Reflection

Back in town for the weekend, hopefully only a few more days working out of town. I had a few moments to scrawl out a little poem for Three Word Wednesday, prompt words were: alter, fond, tranquil.

Reflection

It comes back to me slightly
altered, a rippling image
of what is real. But that’s
not quite right. The reflection
is just as real although existing
beyond touch. To touch
it is to break it, like some
fond memory too precious
for clumsy hands, kept
in the tranquil
depths of the heart.

Pictures, and a few words

I’ve not posted in a while. In fact, I’ve not written anything in a while—partly due to lack of time, partly due to a feeling that I have nothing to say at the moment. Perhaps the two reasons are related. I know in my experience that if I do not make time to observe my place in this world (whether interior contemplation or outward observation), anything I try to write sounds half-formed and hollow.

Anyway, I’ve not been on vacation, but have been working out of town on Daufuskie Island, off the South Carolina coast. Being out of town, sharing living space with others (and trying to merge my living habits with the habits of others) has taken a toll on my writing productivity. And I’ve not had online access, so blog posting has been impossible. However, I’ve been able to enjoy a few hours of early-morning solitude on the beach, and after work I’ve had some delightful bass and redbreast fishing. Thought I’d try to send along a few pictures.