[OSList] Poetry Contest Spring 2013 - cast...your...dots...until midnight June 7

[Lisa Heft]

And now, with excitement, dear readers, I offer you the entries in the  
Spring 2013 OSLIST Poetry Contest!

As it is traditionally an invitation for poetry about or inspired by  
Open Space - plus a recommendation about form or content (‘restricted  
form poetry’), this particular contest invited the creation of  
original poetry with two guidelines:

About Open Space    -and-    describing success and productivity in  
Open Space

Here are the lovely entries.
At the moment, the poets are anonymous.

_________________

Now, imagine you have 5 virtual sticky-dots to spend.
Let your mind and body and spirit and heart help you place 0 to 5  
virtual dots on any or all of the poems that move and inspire you. You  
can even vote for yourself.

Send me a direct email to lisaheft at openingspace.net to let me know how  
many dots you are placing on #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6 and or #7, below.

This part of the Poetry Contest is open until midnight (wherever you  
live) on Friday, June 7.

After which I will announce the next OSLIST Poet Laureate and reveal  
our lovely poets - plus a few more notes about some of these poems.

Here...we...go...

_________________

#1

Loving My Blank Walls


I love my blank walls

They are empty spaces
For treasures of my heart

They are my open spaces
Where I play and dance

There I draw
Dreams and visions

There I start anew
Awakening fresh each morning

There my mind wanders
Coloring my canvass with ideas

There I forget
And I remember

There I am
There I am not


_________________

#2

WOSONOS 2012



In Stoke Newington Town Hall I fell in love with nothing,
and it was no thing that I loved.

Alone, knowing no-one and nothing I walked the circle
I got present
I was connected.

Presence,
absence.									
The empty space of the opening circle.
Profoundly empty,
containing no thing

Through me
everything and no-thing, in me
the circle, in me
the space, in me
the people, in me
butterflies and bumblebees.  In me
body, in me
mind, in me
image, in me
thought, in me
feeling, in me
sensation, in me
nothing.

It started at the right time
The right people were the ones who came
The only thing that could have happened
Was what happened
It was over when it was over.

The bees were buzzing
The 'flies were flitting
The space was open.
The circle was squared.


_________________

#3


Help us to just be
Not controlling

Help us share what we learned
To listen to everyone since we are all brilliant and wise

Fill us with hope
So that we may be the rockets and stars in open space

As we sit at the edge of the lake, keep us still and peaceful
So that we can marvel at the beauty of open spaces

Thank you for the gift of the moment
To slow down, because to be slow also means to be fast

Lead us to walk towards
what is life giving

We were initially hesitant
But we have learned to open ourselves to others

We have found the open space
in our silence within

 From living in tight spaces
We now know how to live in open spaces

We thank the sacred source
For the space of humility and listening from the heart
For our nature is to be free

Within this happy sacred circle
Help us bring healing to others

Make our circle continuously open
So that our learning will never stop

Thank you that we have regained our lost passion
And turned our cynicism into idealism

Beyond this meeting
Use our passions to shape a better future

May this be just a beginning of more open spaces
New choices, which are the key to freedom

Keep us curious
Help us sustain the convergence

Instill in us a sense of urgency
To embrace and own the direction towards what is right and good.



[a note from the poet about #3: this is ‘found poetry’ created from  
participants’ comments and reflections during an Open Space event’s  
Closing Circle]

_________________


#4



space,

opening

unfolding

wondrous



_________________



#5

Saving the Rhinos and Me



Can we really save the rhino?
Or are we here to save ourselves?

Are we talking about the rhino?
Or are we talking about me and you?

Should we talk about them?
Or should be talk about us?

It’s hard when we have to look out there
When the answers are all in here

Is it the Rhino who’s running out of time?
Or it is us who are chasing the past?

Tomorrow seems to be now
And today seems to have gone by

We’ve all come from places near or far
Does your presence have a reason and a rhyme

How can we make our conversations
Mean more than what we came here for

Perhaps we all want answers
The question is: what is the question?

How can we find what’s good for the rhino?
If we can’t find what’s good for ourselves

Let’s try to listen more
To the calling that’s within

Let’s try to open up the spaces
For the wisdom we all have to share!



_________________


#6


Space Open Circle


The circle is the fundamental geometry
of human communication.

A circle has no head or feet,
no high or low
no sides to take;
in a circle people can simply be
with each other,
face to face.

The geometry of the circle
and the rhythm of breath.

Show Up
Be Present
Tell The Truth
Let It All Go.

Do nothing and remain
invisible.

Be prepared
to be
surprised.

Who ever heard of a square of friends?



[a note from the poet about #6: this is ‘found poetry’ created from  
the text of “Open Space Technology: A User’s Guide by Harrison Owen]


_________________


#7


Spaces Made Holy for the Rhino

I sit on holy ground
As people open spaces
To try to save the rhino
there are spaces
Between us
Above us
Inside us
To voice
To listen
To Respect
And to suspend
We are holding the space
For a flow of meaning
That will be shared by all
Even for difficult moments
We seek to keep the space open
Today, I stand firmly on holy ground


_________________


Cast...your...dots...until midnight (wherever you live) on June 7...


Lisa
OSLIST Poet Laureate Spring 2006















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