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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>Dear Open Space Colleagues,<br><br><br>I now re-open the OSLIST Restricted Form Poetry Contest! <br><br>Whoever feels so inspired - I invite you to create some original poetry with two aspects:<br><br><ul><li>should be about Open Space Technology</li></ul>and <br><ul><li>evocative of the Emptiness/Awareness/Oneness/Space/Consciousness within which all apparent activity arises - including of course OST practices, entries for poetry competitions and emails inviting entries for poetry competitions....</li></ul><br>I hope that is as specific and as vague an invitation as suits your poetic pens. <br><br>I especially encourage entries from anyone who thinks they are somehow separate from the conversation of poetry... <br> <br>Send your poetry directly to me at <a href="mailto:lisaheft@openingspace.net">coej66@hotmail.com</a> before midnight (in whatever time zone you live) on <b>Sunday, June 1st</b>.<br><br>I
will collect them and then show them back to you so you
may indicate your preferences, in awareness that all contributors have already contributed something of themselves, and something reflective of us all also. <br><br>Counted preferences will determine who the new Poet Laureate of the OSLIST or, new title, the Poet Laureate of Open Space, will be - someone who will hold the
space for poetry by sharing and / or inviting poetry on the list for the
next six months. <br><br>A role I have not myself fulfilled very well, for which I apologise. A number of poems are online at <a href="http://poetryofopenspace.blogspot.co.uk/." target="_blank">http://poetryofopenspace.blogspot.co.uk/.</a> Whoever takes the role is offered this space to move forward with, or to leave as it is. <br><br>All OSLIST members, including past Poet Laureates, are invited to participate. If you write your poem in your own language which may not be English, please do add a translation in English.<br><br>All contributions are welcomed. All are invited to risk again the "bitter unwanted passion of your sure defeat" - not an invitation to despair or inaction, but to bold and vulnerable activity. This line is from the poem below, from the fabulous David Whyte, with whom I recently spent a day.<br><br><span class="st">Bon courage</span> mes amis!<br><br>Jonathan <br><br><h3>Self Portrait </h3>
It doesn't interest me if there is one God<br>
or many gods.<br>
I want to know if you belong or feel<br>
abandoned.<br>
If you know despair or can see it in others.<br>
I want to know <br>
if you are prepared to live in the world<br>
with its harsh need<br>
to change you. If you can look back<br>
with firm eyes<br>
saying this is where I stand. I want to know<br>
if you know <br>
how to melt into that fierce heat of living<br>
falling toward<br>
the center of your longing. I want to know<br>
if you are willing<br>
to live, day by day, with the consequence of love<br>
and the bitter<br>
unwanted passion of your sure defeat.<BR>
I have heard, in <em>that </em>fierce embrace, even<br>
the gods speak of God. <br><BR><br><BR>
<span class="style33">-- David Whyte</span><br> </div></body>
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