A great multi-national turnout again today despite the fact that Bev managed to LOCK the meeting before it even started - sorry! Adrienne introduced her Loving Kindness mindfulness practice with a poem Love after Love by Derek Walcott
Bev followed with the writing prompt from the poem
Tree by our very own writer Giovanna McKenna:
I am secure in your grasp
Unfortunately, or should we say fortunately, we cannot share the poem at this point in time as it is out for publication!
GWL Calm Slam ~ deadline 30th April for
Here is a link to Glasgow Women's Library Calm Slam that Giovanna mentioned.
And here's a poem published by our very own
Lesley O'Brien ~ Come Awa' In
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And now for some of
YOUR WRITING:
Secure in your grasp
by Bex Woodsford
Secure in your grasp
Am I?
And you, are you secure in mine?
Who are you?
Can you be known? with just words?
No never enough
I crave the security of touch
Of your soft fragranced skin
Of feeling held
The perfume of your hair
The whole embodied wholeness of you
that makes me feel safe.
This time of disembodied heads of screens
Voices in the ether
No safety
Keep close the muscle memory of the whole of you
Safety
“I have come inside a silence” (Kenneth Steven – Cloister)
by Kath Higgens
Sometimes I must get away from
the distractions of home -
the screen that wants to invade,
the notes that scream to be read;
the cosy chair; the fridge.
I walk three minutes
and arrive in a different world,
where trees offer shade,
where birds carry on their humble lives,
where flowers wave and grasses stretch.
The garden is walled with quiet,
the very earth permeated
with such sacred ordinariness
that I must loose myself
from my shoes.
Here, for decades, men and women
have brought their troubled souls,
their joyful souls,
and cocooned in this quiet
have found their way to peace.
The following piece from Catrice is from a different writing group but I though to include it here as another wave to the inspirational Kenneth Steven
“Take Nothing with you but your shoes” (from a line by Kenneth Steven)
by Catrice Greer (1st draft)
When you leave us
close the door
leave not a crack and nothing more
for if you do we would search for you
in the hinges
turn the knob hoping to find you standing there
in the light to love you again
When you leave us
don’t look back
we said our goodbyes in the million hugs,
longwinded, the winding talks we had, laughing
loud, silent in-between, staring off into space
when there’s nothing more to say
nothing left to glean
When you leave us,
and your name has been called
and your work here is done
take nothing but your shoes,
Walk off tall, 6’6” as you are
far off in the distance your head
crowned by the gleam of the sun,
another dying star shining.
Leave all of your burdens, the things undone.
close the door in the dark night,
the echoing silence speaks your name
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Thanks to you all ...
... for your heartening feedback as always!
Kay: so powerful thankyou Adrienne kx
Hilaire: Thank you Adrienne - that slowed me right down!
Britt: I'd imagine a collection of poems would be massively beneficial to others working with MS as well. Particularly including that work.
Angie: I like the last line, 're-learn'.
Angie: Oooo I love that. It was so colourful.
Sandra W: Such imagery. So beautiful
Kay: incredible Giovanna kx
Hilaire: So powerful
Giovanna: https://womenslibrary.org.uk/2021/03/11/open-the-door-2021-calm-slam/
Britt: Hilaire, you chose the right tree!!
Sandra W: I’m there with u. So much intensity
Sandra W: Love the I am. And the connection to god. Xx
Hilaire: Such beautiful & rich imagery Catrice!
Britt: It felt like several organic cycles, but emotional too.
Angie: That is how I feel about it too Bex.
Sheila: Thanks everyone for wonderful words sewn together xx
Bex: I love the we are secure in our grasp
Angie: Wonderful. xx
Kay: beautiful reading Giovanna kx
Hilaire: Gorgeous poem Giovanna
Giovanna: Bye everyone, thank you
Bex: Thank you all so much. See you next week xx
Angie: Thank you again for another fabulous mindfulness and writing session. I am glad that I am kind to myself and make the time to attend. xx
Catrice: An honor to be here with all of you today. Beautiful poetry all. Very generous sharing. Take care. Be well.
Louise: wonderful waves of words wafting around my mind - thank you one and all
Joyce: what inspiring and heart moving women thankyou all xx
Sandra B: Thank you Bev and Adrienne! And to everyone who shared words and witnessed wordsharing xx
Kay: another wonderful session how well the mindfulness and writing work together and such beautiful words shared
Hilaire: thanks everyone- see you next week
Kay: thankyou bev and Adrienne and thankyou everyone
Angie: Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Lots of love and happy Spring equinox.
YY: Thank you all…a beautiful start to this day xxx
Britt: Thank you everyone for every word. I feel rich. Thank you, Bev and Adrienne for helping this all to happen. Be so well. x
Kate Lindsay: Thank you for another wonderful session xx