Poetry Celebration and Contest

Alan Stewart alan at creativestate.biz
Thu Sep 2 07:22:43 PDT 2004


G'day Joelle and All

My congratulations to you on your enchanting poem about 'you'.

Looking forward to more kindling of our imagination from
the Pacific Northwest forest ...

Alan
Adelaide

PS Here is something which I noticed recently and have found helpful.


On patience with one's gradual growth ... respecting the rhythm of the
spirit

I remembered one morning when I discovered a cocoon in the bark of a tree,
just as the butterfly was making a hole in its case and preparing to come
out.  I waited a while but it was too long appearing and I was impatient.

I bent over it a breathed on it to warm it.  I warmed it as quickly as I
could and the miracle began to happen before my eyes, faster than life. The
case opened, the butterfly started slowly crawling out and I shall never
forget my horror when I saw how its wings were folded back and crumpled.
The wretched butterfly tried with its whole trembling body to unfold them.

Bending over it, I tried to help it with my breath.  In vain.  It needed to
be hatched out patiently and the unfolding of the wings should be a gradual
process in the sun.  Now it was too late.  My breath had forced the
butterfly to appear, all crumpled before its time.  It struggled desperately
and, a few seconds later, died in the palm of my hand.

That little body is, I do believe, the greatest weight I have on my
conscience. For I realise that it is a mortal sin to violate the great laws
of nature.  We should not hurry, we should not be impatient, but we should
confidently obey the eternal rhythm.

I sat on a rock to absorb this New Year's thought. Ah, if only that little
butterfly could always flutter before me to show me the way.


(Zorba the Greek)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Aitken" <tzimtzum at earthlink.net>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 4:10 AM
Subject: Poetry Celebration and Contest


> The world on fire burns with a green flame:
> I will not trade a precious moment
> of the chaos, joy and pain
> for a life with no surprises,
> for a day with no time
> to let you in.
>
> (from her poem Portals)
>
> Joelle Lyons Everett is now Poet Laureate of the OSLIST, with her gorgeous
poem rooted in the Pacific Northwest forest. If memory serves, this is the
second time Joelle wears the crown of leaves.
>
> Thanks to everyone who read poems, wrote poems, and/or submitted "virtual
sticky dots" to support poems of this season's Celebration and Contest.

*
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