Today I am pulling one out of the archives - prompted by my pleasure of being associated with two amazing women, Christine Paintner and Betsey Beckman, who are working on their new book about the Awakening the Creative Spirit program. Their writing reminded of a poem I penned almost three years ago during that program. It seemed perfect for this Sacred Sunday.Enjoy!
Six Senses of God
No old man in flowing robes and long white beard for me. My God looks like the wind, the rain, the sun & moon. He is creation all around--both seen and imagined.
Rainstorm beating on a tin roof & brook gently babbling through the forest. The laughter of children and screams of childbirth. Tinkling bells and booming gongs. These are the voices of Majesty.
God smells like spring after the first rain. Roses, old and fragrant. Wet dog and fresh baked bread. Homemade cookies & pie.
Taste the sweet nectar dripping from fresh berries. Complexities of a gourmet meal. Chinese food and take out pizza. Communion wine. God pours flavor into life.
Experience God with the touch of a newborn’s bottom, a soft kitten or the bark of a gnarled tree. The suede of a child’s head and the crepe of a woman’s weathered hand.
A presence that embodies pain and sorrow, joy and laughter. A tugging of the heart and a whisper in the ear. The flutter of stomach and the pounding of heart. Our God is the feast of eyes and the fullness of soul.
photo by lucy
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11 comments:
beautiful poem from a beautiful friend to remind me to be present to the sacred in this beautiful day. Thank you for all your support! xoxo C
a very beautiful and evocative poem, lucy. thank you for posting it once more. It is difficult to pick a segment that speaks to me more than any other, but this one is close:
Experience God with the touch of a newborn’s bottom, a soft kitten or the bark of a gnarled tree. The suede of a child’s head and the crepe of a woman’s weathered hand.
I am a tactile kind of person.
your language of words has me mezmorized on this Sacred Sunday. Things I've actually felt but never been able to describe and there it is, in your words. I'm so thankful again to have found you. Truly an inspiration to my soul.
Lucy,
"... the complexities of a gourmet meal. Chinese food and take out pizza ..."
I have a photo online from Chinatown, which fits this exactly (linked to my user name here). It shows an easel outside a Chinese restaurant with a Buddha drawn in colored chalk — one hand points upward and the other to the ground. On the easel all around the buddha are written the names and prices of delicious things to eat! The whole thing says: Enjoy the here and now! Enlightenment is full of fun, deeply nourishing, and maybe even a little sexy — and so is good food!
~ kigen
what a God!
This poem is so lovely! I do not remember reading this version before. Extra special knowing the author:)
xoxox
hi c--wishing you a sacred week as you teach in your lovely air-conditioned classroom :-) xoxox
barbara--yes, i can also see the touch of your hand(s) intertwined with the softness of your new kittehs!
lola--so glad you stopped and chose to comment. i hope you'll be back soon!
kigen--i adore that photo. thank you so much for sharing it with me. i would be a perfect companion for this piece!!!
kel--yep!!
ss--it's an oldie, but goodie :-) i may post the newer version soon just for fun. xoxoox
What an amazing writer you are and what an amazing imagining of God...I love it...it so suits me too, all that is around us is all that alludes us but is always there...thank you for the loving reminder!
G
G--thank you so much for your encouraging words. glad to see you here and am holding you in my prayers. peace.
Kigen directed me to your poem.
Beautiful and so very true :-)
Thank you.
claire--thank you very much (& thank you, too, kigen). hope you'll visit again.
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