OSLIST poetry celebration and contest!

Jeff Aitken magic.teams at hotmail.com
Wed Oct 8 09:47:41 PDT 2008


OSLIST POETRY CELEBRATION AND CONTEST
Sept/Oct 2008

Here are the poems we have been waiting for! 

The Celebration part is easy... Take some time to enjoy the poetic works of our colleagues! Thanks to everyone who sent a poem. The authors' names have been hidden because of the Contest; I will send the poems again with the authors' names when the Contest is over.

The Contest works like this: We use the "dot-voting" method. As a member of OSLIST you have 5 virtual sticky dots to vote for poems below. Choose how many of your 5 dots to give to each poem (the poem's number is above the poem) and SEND YOUR VOTES TO ME ONLY, NOT TO THE LIST:

magic.teams at hotmail.com

The deadline for sending your sticky dots is midnight California time, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14.

I will tally the dots and announce the new Poet Laureate, and send the poems out again with the authors' names.

Have fun, and enjoy these ten wonderful poems.

Jeff
Telegraph Hill
San Francisco




------
1.

Worldwide-Openspace Online: The consummate butterfly

Awake
But no!
Can’t be!
Did I really sleep through a whole event?

Easy.
First, lay your head down
Get nice and cosy
Head snuggled on the perfect pillow
Island of dreams 
Just for a while
Keep those eyes closed
Let the world roll on
Magic moment.

No going back in, it's over.
Over?
Please, please what did I miss?
Quiet screen is adamant, ‘you had your chance.’
Right… whoever’s there
Sigh... Still... I would have liked to have been there

Up now
Vitality returned
When’s the next one?

Xmas doesn’t wait for anyone either

Yet…

Zzzzz



------
2.


Revelation

Engaging in open space adventuring
with a group of radiant spiritual souls 
who let slip surprises
which I could not have imagined ...

The spark for enlightenment was a fierce,
terrible, almost violent haranguing 
of two of their members who had arrived ‘late’ 
a few minutes after the agreed starting time. 

With a sharpness which was relentless
a rude exposé to everyone present
most likely particularly to  
the perpetrator himself. 

Who resumed his unruffled self instantly 
upon my stepping into the circle
to point to the principles which uncover
the right people and the right time. 

The gathering proceeded ‘right on’
and reportedly was most useful in
resolving a very thorny issue
by illuminating the natural way ahead.  

And for me made forever known 
the ever present power of the process
to bring forth dimensions unforeseen
and how these unfold in the presence of spirit.

>From a person in the closing circle
a lady well into the bloom of later years
disclosing through her tears 
this remarkable transformation:  

“All my life I have been terrified 
in the presence of male anger.
After what was shown to me this morning 
I will not ever be afraid again.”

Nor will I. And you? 


------
3.


Pause
 
A pause in the cosmic conversation
Beyond the surface stream of words
Creates a vast opening through which all is seen.
Did you know that?
 
Enlightenment is simply
Following insight and inquiry...
Giving oneself fully to each moment...
Holding nothing back...
Inviting each moment to be...
Just as it is.
 
Kindness...
Love...
Meaning...
Nothing exists without...
Open space...
Pause...
 
Question...
Reflect...rejoice!
Surrender to the whole of life...
Trust...
Unless you have the courage to walk through this opening wholly
Violence lives within you too...
 
Wake-up world!
X has never marked the spot of anything that really matters.
You—one and all--matter.  Sleep on that and dream wiser.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...



------
4.



CONNECTION

A MAGIC SPARK ALIGHTS
WHEN TWO SOULS CONNECT 
SUDDENLY AFTER A CONVERSATION 
AN UNEXPECTED EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, 
THOUGHTS OR FEELINGS
GONE IS THE ISOLATION 
THE HEART IS OPEN 
THE UNIVERSE BECOMES A FRIENDLY PLACE 
THERE IS MEANING AND HARMONY IN ONE’S SPACE 
A COINCIDENCE OR FATE 
IT MATTERS NOT 

MAY IT HAPPEN OFTEN 
MYSTERIOUS IN ITS WAY 
SPREADING LIGHT AND WARMTH 
IN THIS EARTHLY STAY


------
5.


1 pleis

One play(s)
One spay(s)
One cyrcle
three bre(i)fs
one law
two bees(ts)
1 dzhoi
1 sadness

1 dans
1 duns
1 convo

1 burf
1 lie(f)?
1 def
owhyeah!

1 (m)irf
1 laff

Itsolegoode
Oneezkewl

butt
duznt
zerow rewl?


------
6.


A User's Guide—words and thoughts to open you:
Balamah, village of mystery
Circles about Harrison
Dancers, Drummers, horn players
Expectations of rhythms swirling
Flowing people, flowing, flowing
Geometry sacred more profane
However it comes evokes humanity
Inviting initiations, issues, opportunities
Joining collaborative effort
Kin we are to bees and butterflies
Large rooms, small, all space for the law
Medicine wheels, morning gatherings, mobility
News walls
OSonOS: what kind of a word is that?
Passion it elicits from us
Quantum of Spirit its mythos
Reflections on responsibility in a shoe factory
Space likes to be held, to hold lightly the
Tibetan temple bells calling calling
Unexpected situations call us to our own 
Village marketplace
Walls somehow create space
Xenophobes make friends of the strange and
Yawning, the man in the hat disappears to
ZZZzzzz....


------
7.

Conversation in Blue
 
 
a
blue denim colored
conversation circle lasting all
day...
each new person joining, leaving - each new person sharing, witnessing, questioning, listening - thoughts of
family, community, challenge,
grief, loss, spirit - thoughts of
how the path of life can meander
in the most unexpected ways.
just the act of holding space for conversation - any topic welcome, everyone appreciated, everyone respected
keeps the circle going hour after hour - each new person sharing, some joining, some leaving, until the
last
man leaves, and we fold away the chairs.
night falls
on the
prison yard
 

------
8.


My first open space
The first open space for the 80 coworkers.
The basic question was strong, so were the answers. 

Three woman visualizing process, results and emotions, 
supporting them by making them visible.

A dream of self organization come true -
So strong the will to analyse their company within one day,
And to come out satisfied with lots of strong proposals.

I only missed to include the boss,
So he destroyed the growing little plant within ten minutes, 
coming from his expectations.

Thanks for the experience, and ready to do it again!


------
9.


The Guide

I was handed The Users Guide
They said read it and perform.

I took it home
Turned the pages.

I didnʼt read it
It spoke to me!


------
10.


As I walk the circle
Bringing with me a flow,
Connecting with the people,
Delighting in the delicious anticipation and
Eagerly looking in the eyes and
Faces, I
Grasp the weave and
Hold the space and time.

I gather the attention of those present and
Join their spirits in
Keeping with their intent.

Letting my mind settle while
Melding the flows of energy, I sense the
Nuance
of each
Person's attention.

Questioning, challenging, I move
'Round the circle,
Seeking the connection and
Taking the time to stir the flow.

Unconsciously, my
Very
Will
eXtends to
Yearning hopes and fears, seeking the
Zero point of balance.







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