The more that falls away,
the more knit I am to things
before they speak; drawn into
the waters of silence. When I
listen carefully, I am drawn be-
low the words of those speaking,
into the current using them, as the
wind uses a reed to get animals to
stop chewing and widen their
eyes. I once followed sunset
into a purple marsh and
stepping on a fallen log,
the tangled brush tugged
the trees to sway. Hundreds
of cranes lifted and I was
undone. I am now devoted to
the lost step that brings
us into the open.
~Mark Nepo
Let mystery have its place in you; do not be always turning up your whole soil with the plowshare of self-examination, but leave a little fallow corner in your heart ready for any seed the winds may bring, and reserve a nook of shadow for the passing bird; keep a place in your heart for the unexpected guests, an altar for an unknown God.
~Amiel’s Journal
water & stones, feathers & shells, clay & petals, gold & lightning…..here, yes, here….all the beauty we can hold
Listening to night rain on a river
Until dawn
Ten thousand pearls clattering on a plate
I’ve listened all my long life
Still, still,
Not sure what I know.
~Roderick MacIver
Make Believe Boutique 
I agree with each of these. Mark for that single step that opens up the world, and Roderick for still not being certain what I know … Except that the 3D is so limiting, and to believe that our senses tell us the truth is naive to say the least, and a lie to be truthful about it …
this is why we need poetry to sort it all out for us…….I guess we have to sit with truth to be able to listen…..
Dr David Hawkins spent his entire life seeking answers to truth vs falsehood. The heart knows best …
Oh yes…. a call I so needed to hear…..”When I listen carefully, I am drawn below the words of those speaking them, into the current using them…..”
To hear without judging, to be open enough to respond and not just react. Sooo hard. Thanks for the reminder.
And all the beauty, large and small in nature is like an arrow pointing us beyond the surface of things.
a deep sigh so that we may live into the quiet moment that whispers back…..may we trust it completely Eileen…..
Hi. I loved the Rod MacIver poem in this post and the other MacIver poems you have shared in the past. Could you possibly share the source of this poem so I might find the book to read more of his work? Thank you. Dave
Rod MacIver is the creator of Heron Dance. He is an artist, activist, naturalist, poet. And so much more. I have been following his work for many years. http://www.herondance.org- I have collected most of his books, and have some of his art in my home. This particular poem came from his daily email, A Pause for Beauty. You can sign up for it on his site. “The Journey Itself is Home” is a beautiful collection. You can order notecards, books, etc on his site. So glad his work resonates with you….blessings to you….
Thank you kindly for the information. Appreciate you and your blog posts very much. Dave