Monday, November 30, 2009

I Reach and...

“I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.”
--Psalm 143:6


Rolling waves of parched land spread out before me.
Dry. Thirsty. Barren.
My soul connects.
Spirit is present in the midst of my own desert.
Thirst and longing.
I stretch my hand.
I lift my eyes.
I feel your presence.

I see it through the window of a plane.
The photo of a tree.
The creating of a card.
The quiet of my heart.
I engage with the mystery.
Perhaps only I can name it.
Perhaps.
Still, I know I am connected.
Blue sky.
Clouds drifting over.
Those who have gone before?
Yes, I am connected,
even in my desolation.

I close my eyes and see the barren landscape.
It is magnificent in its beauty.
I hear your name in the sky and
see it written across the lands.
I am created in your image.
Earth. Fire. Water. Air.
All right there.
Beside me and around me.
The fullness of your majesty.
The fullness of my life.
I stretch out my hands for you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

I reach…
and you are there.

photo taken just before landing in Walla Walla 11.24.09

11 comments:

Rebecca Johnson said...

I am deeply attracted to the image of the great beauty of barrenness and emptiness. Not just the beauty of the vastness of your photo with its stunning pinks and blues, but the beauty of brown, parched desert as far as the eye can see. And the metaphor of standing there in the midst of it saying, "I know that you are here and I am so thirsty for you". It is so strange, Lucy. I have been well hydrated lately, and so I don't feel that urgent and driving longing that your poem expresses. In a way, I would like to. It certainly makes one feel alive.

Love....

Dianna Woolley said...

BEAUTIFUL - thank you! You captured more than just the beauty of the land in this poem.

xoxoxox

Susan Carpenter Sims said...

Glorious.

Tess said...

The line from the psalm which you have woven about with your beautiful words has enormous meaning for me. Thank you.

Maureen said...

Beautifully written. A story of need. . . met. And thus inspirational.

Anonymous said...

Who are you
catching up my soul
into your own
opening doors into my being,
giving me to drink
kissing all my wounds

How long will you stay
do you arrive only for a day
I think perhaps you have gone
all alone again in tears --
then I see how many caverns deep
you are still wandering my fears

kigen said...

above anonymous by me, forgot to sign

Brett said...

I love the juxtaposition of desolation with fullness. On first read i found myself saddened. On second read comforted and connected. I'm reminded that life and joy is everywhere present. "Everything that happens TO us happens FOR us." Sweet Lucy!

Anonymous said...

Kayce.......that is really beautiful.....with permission I will post it up somewhere to enjoy and contemplate again and again. Quite lovely. Pamela xo

Kayce aka lucy said...

rebecca - it is truly a mix of fulfillment and desert. thanks for your words.

SS - fyi-most of those words were crafted in your guest room and the photo, of course, on that beautiful approach into walla walla.

blessings, pollinatrix!

tess - the psalm showed up in a morning reading with joan chittister and i can't get it out of my mind. would love to hear your story :-)

maureen - thank you.

kigen - beautiful words. thank you for identifying yourself :-)

Kayce aka lucy said...

brett--there's always a little of this and that in everything, huh? thanks for stopping by.

pamela - i'm honored for you to share and contemplate... just give the lucy credit :) xoxo