Today Adrienne introduced her Noticing our attitude to the Undercurrent practice with a poem "Well of Grief" by David Whyte.
Bev offered a writing prompt “Grief” by Louise Erdrich
bring yourself stumbling home
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And now for some of
YOUR WRITING:
Inspired by David Whyte’s The Well of Grief & Louise Erdrich’s Grief
by Kay Ritchie
the anaesthetic wearing off
that sweet-sour smell
that bitter taste that sickness &
that distant sound of
patients in the ward beyond
breeze-bellied curtains drawn around &
the consultant privilege-plumaged by your bed
who said you’ll never birth a child
but you’re alive you’re lucky
though that isn’t how you felt
post operation
soap & razor shaved in preparation
cut stitched a bikini line he boasted
as if consolation for the loss of life
you hadn’t said goodbye to &
that ache that belly ache
that spread to heart & every other part &
never left your future dreams
laments not lucky coins
your flow disturbed by turbulence &
chance not choice
your life unmade/remade
by his snip snip
the remnants all he left you
as you slipped beneath the surface
tried to breathe relieve the darkness
a lost child
and all that you could do was
make a wish & bring yourself
alone stumbling home
alone
By the hand, sweetheart
by Denise Steel
Can I take you, sweetheart, by the hand
bring you to a place of rest
where problems are not yours to solve
and others' grief beyond your help
feel your body warmly there
feel the earth support you
to your mind admit the light
until your thoughts may quietly melt
white as the milk of an almond pressed
white as the milk at your mother's breast
white as the milk of kindness.
Bring yourself stumbling home
by Cap'n Bev
The tower of ring-bound scribbles
lean dangerously fireward. Come home now
you hard working, hilarious mechanic.
The time for flailing about
in the workshop of the world,
delightful as it is,
is finite.
Come stumbling home now.
Live beside a fire, behind a pen, among a sunset
under the bracing waters of the waving Atlantic.
And should you run out of stories, head north
to the lights and the lochs and the islands
of otherworld song.
Then… there…
yes then…
… take a boat.
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Thanks to you all ...
... for your heartening feedback as always! And a particularly big thank you to Giovanna for all her careful reflection on the chat today.
Maggie: If it's okay to ask, what is Lesley’s play, please?
Kay: beautiful Adrienne thankyou kx
Adrienne: ❤️
Lesley: Hi Maggie, I'll paste the blurb for Selkie Soul that was on a CCA recently. We are hoping to perform it at The Scottish Storytelling Centre and a few other theatres around Scotland. I'll keep Bev and the Blog updated with any new dates. "A unique exploration based upon Scottish folk tales of seals and the sea told through the spectacular aerial choreography of aerial acrobat Lauren Jamieson (Sonder Circus) and the music, poetry, and storytelling of folk band, Kittlin, contemplating themes of soul theft, loss, longing and return to one’s spiritual home". https://www.villagestorytelling.org.uk/festival/event/selkie-soul/
Giovanna: Thanks Adrienne, I really needed that today
Adrienne: ❤️
Bev: bring yourself stumbling home
Giovanna: Bex - “sometimes you need to place your own arms around your own shoulders"
Giovanna: Yvonne - “stop, breathe gently, and allow the memories…”
Giovanna: Jo - “like stones have weight, become obstacles”
Giovanna: Cath - “rest beside hope, sleep is rest”
Giovanna: Bev - “the light and the loch and the island….”
Giovanna: Jo Beth - “she views a dangerous world" “it is better to be alone than risk misinterpretation, her emotions wild”
Denise: Very moving, Jo Beth
Yvonne: Thank you all again. A beautiful morning.. xxx
Denise: Giovanna - the pulse and shift
Lesley: Beautiful, Giovanna.
Giovanna: Denise - “to a place of rest, where problems are not yours to solve” “your mind admits the light”
Giovanna: Maggie - “each confluence flows free on its wild way"
Giovanna: Lesley - “it's a battle to find the best way home" “freezing me in the position of lost" “soak up the contours of his wisdom”
Giovanna: Fenella - “you have the resources to catch and hold on to safety”
Giovanna: Kay - all of it, every. single. word. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Giovanna: ❤️
Lesley: Kay, a very powerful piece. x
Denise: So powerful, dear Kay, you allow us to live it with you.
Giovanna: Sorry all, I need to go. Thank you so much for all of this X
Lesley: thanks everyone, another wonderful session. Sorry I need to go. xx
Denise: So glad we got to hear that, Mike!
Maggie: Thank you, everyone.
Denise: Thank you everyone for a wonderful and centring morning.x
Kay: wonderful session thankyou everyone kx
Linda: Thanks everyone. Such a moving session. Xxx
Thanks to funders
Lapidus Scotland gratefully acknowledges the support of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership's "Wellbeing for Longer in Glasgow Fund" (managed by Impact Funding Partners).
