Jan
2017
Poetry Friday: Listening with Poetry
Listen.
My OLW for this year calls me not just to hear the noise that constantly surrounds me, but also to listen for the still, small voice underneath the noise. There’s no shortage of noise to distract me–radio, television, social media. All spout a constant stream of news and outrage and entertainment. How do I make time to listen in the midst of all this noise?
I am exploring a way to listen to my daily reading from scripture by responding to what I read with poetry. Sometimes what I hear connects very directly with what I read. Other times my listening steers me toward current events both personal and national. Here are a couple of examples from my readings this week.
Response to reading Acts 10:44-48
God’s Holy Spirit flows
like a river surging
over its banks,
floods past the boundaries
of race and creed and tradition.
God’s Holy Spirit charges
past our religious rituals
to welcome outsiders
into signing God’s praise
while we gape in disbelief.
Can we keep up
or at least stay out of the way?
And one more…response to reading Matthew 12:15-21
Hope seeps through the cracks
of a crumbling foundation
as the world threatens to crash
down around our traditions
Hope whispers a promise
to fulfill justice long denied
even as leaders grasp
ever more tightly to their lust for power.
Even in the midst of darkness,
hope grows ever toward the light.
I don’t always find a poetic response, but the process of looking and responding through poetry is deepening my listening.
Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Keri has the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Keri Recommends. Drop by and see what poetry morsels are offered this week and check out a thought-provoking video on how we spend our time.
Heidi Mordhorst
January 16, 2017 at 10:07 pm (7 years ago)Welcome to Poetry Friday, Kay!
Diane Mayr
January 15, 2017 at 12:46 pm (7 years ago)“Hope seeps through the cracks” is a winner of a line, Kay. A bit of optimism is truly welcomed today.
Kay McGriff
January 16, 2017 at 6:56 pm (7 years ago)Thank you. I’m glad you liked it. There are many ways hope seeps through the cracks. Maybe that can be the start of a new poem.
Donna Smith
January 15, 2017 at 12:06 am (7 years ago)I like the idea of responding to scripture with poetry. Maybe I can try that at least for my daily poem on Sunday.
Kay McGriff
January 16, 2017 at 6:55 pm (7 years ago)I’d love to hear how your experience goes with responding to Scripture with poetry. I hope to read some in the future!
Keri Collins Lewis
January 14, 2017 at 5:57 pm (7 years ago)I love the image of the Holy Spirit charging past rituals — very powerful!
Mrs. McGriff
January 14, 2017 at 8:30 pm (7 years ago)Me, too! The Spirit does have a way of crashing through our expectations, too!
Kiesha Shepard
January 14, 2017 at 5:46 pm (7 years ago)“Hope whispers a promise…” I love that, Kay. Your response is full of emotion and a call to action. It was wonderful to read.
Mrs. McGriff
January 14, 2017 at 8:30 pm (7 years ago)Thank you. I hope listening will lead to action throughout this year.
Laura Shovan
January 14, 2017 at 5:13 pm (7 years ago)These are beautiful, Kay. The imagery of hope seeping through the cracks touched me.
Mrs. McGriff
January 14, 2017 at 8:29 pm (7 years ago)Thank you. I am looking for hope in the most unlikely of places this year.
Laura Shovan
January 19, 2017 at 8:57 pm (7 years ago)You might like this video about the Japanese art of repairing broken objects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT55_u8URU0
Mary Lee Hahn
January 14, 2017 at 9:44 am (7 years ago)Lifting a line for my response:
Hope seeps through the cracks.
Erosion is a long, slow process,
but it brings change, nonetheless.
Mrs. McGriff
January 14, 2017 at 9:49 am (7 years ago)Wow! Your response is beautiful. Thank you! I love how poetry can weave together and inspire new writing.
Brenda Harsham
January 14, 2017 at 8:50 am (7 years ago)I like that your listening involves responding, thinking and recording. That’s very active listening, very engaging.
Mrs. McGriff
January 14, 2017 at 9:41 am (7 years ago)Yes, it does get me much more engaged when I’m listening and responding and thinking.
Linda Mitchell
January 14, 2017 at 7:57 am (7 years ago)What a beautiful and healthy way to listen. I am so happy for you and delighted with your response. Keep going! This is going to be a beautiful year!
Mrs. McGriff
January 14, 2017 at 9:41 am (7 years ago)Thank you! Yes, it is going to be a beautiful year.
Alice Nine
January 13, 2017 at 9:53 pm (7 years ago)Your poetic responses from “listening” to your Scripture readings are wonderful! I especially like one from Acts. Thank you for sharing, Kay.
Kay McGriff
January 13, 2017 at 10:16 pm (7 years ago)Thanks. I’m glad you liked them. I enjoyed listening by writing them.
Leigh Anne
January 13, 2017 at 8:38 pm (7 years ago)I love how your have responded to scripture with poetry. I can see how this would strengthen your time with God and deepen your listening. (Something I just may need to try.) Hope seeping through cracks makes me very hopeful, too.
Mrs. McGriff
January 13, 2017 at 9:02 pm (7 years ago)I wasn’t sure how it would work, but I do appreciate how it helps me focus and listen more deeply. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Linda Baie
January 13, 2017 at 6:59 pm (7 years ago)An interesting pairing, and I like the second one with hope taking the lead, Kay.
Mrs. McGriff
January 13, 2017 at 8:06 pm (7 years ago)Thanks! I do hope that hope will take the lead this coming year.
Carol Varsalona
January 13, 2017 at 10:13 am (7 years ago)Kay, I like the responses you have written to scripture, especially the last one. I often write about hope and found a brass replica of the word for my husband’s Christmas stocking. It is prominently placed in my house so I will reflect on your words today: Even in the midst of darkness,
hope grows ever toward the light.
Mrs. McGriff
January 13, 2017 at 11:52 am (7 years ago)Yes, I keep reminding myself that hope springs eternal!
Tabatha
January 13, 2017 at 10:04 am (7 years ago)I like those verbs! You may be listening quietly, but your responses have a lot of action đŸ™‚
Mrs. McGriff
January 13, 2017 at 11:51 am (7 years ago)I hadn’t thought about it, but listening does often lead to action. Thank you.