Reanimated Lavender Granola Switchblade Nun rides again.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Homily

Transcendence fills the particular--
whether holy or secular--

nobody listens to a fool going on about "mankind"
or global concerns.

Do a million tulips care what you think of them?
What does just one feel like?
Tulips seem made for touch, 
and the curve of a hand is perfect to cup them,
as the sky does the orange-yellow sun in the afternoon.

Seeker, separate the petals with a fingertip--
lean in, let the flower brush the soft skin of your cheek.
Forget the field,
the road beyond,
the sun, the stars--
remember this scent, the one that captured you,
the one you will remember years from now.

There is a place, The Garden of Our Lady,
and that is where you should spend an afternoon
finding by feel
the gorgeous and singular meeting point
like a little humble wafer
where earthy and heavenly combine like prayer and answer,
placed on your lips by a benevolent spirit.
________

for Hannah's "haunted hearts" at Real Toads.

 

14 comments:

  1. Sensual pic, music, actions, words, "here she is, drink her in." Thank you for combining spirituality and sensuality. My cup runneth over!

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  2. Oh, Shay...you take my breath...so many deep descriptions and the tactile qualities of this poem just lure your reader right in. The cupping...yes, so neat...that was one of my first mind images before I began to write. I love this, (can you tell? ;) Thank you for taking part in the challenge, Shay!

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  3. Only Shay could write about a tulip in such a captivating way.

    Speaking of tulips--Have you read Michael Pollan's "Botany of Desire"?

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  4. This is introspectively soft and beautiful, Shay. I really could see the tulip, cupped in a palm, like the sun on a cloud-fuzzed horizon, a little ball of serenity to rest on in a world that moves too fast.

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  5. This is very lovely favorite part remember this scent the one that captured you. I could picture myself smelling a tulip.

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  6. Focussing on the beauty of a single tulip. Getting to know it better. Very intense.

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  7. This is brilliant, Shay! I have goosebumps up my arms (a sure sign of the power of words to move my spirit).

    Your approach to the existential is remarkable. I love the lead in, and the essential question but your elaboration on the theme really blew me away. This is a joy!

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  8. You and I both love a green church!
    ;D
    I love how you captured so many facets with the glory of nature, as it should be! Clever and beautiful are both captured here~

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  9. ... one of your more beautiful poems. Or, I could say one more of your beautiful poems ...

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  10. The opening line is to die for, the second made me laugh,

    a very intimate poem this ended up being - it is easy to become blinded by so much beauty...

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  11. Shay, from the "two lips" to the sort of "lilies of the field" reference (do the tulips give a fig about us?), this is a BRILL response to the prompt. Your words were as colorful as the image. And thx for your comment at Sharp Li'l! Peace and lips, Amy (wink)

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  12. "remember this scent, the one that captured you,
    the one you will remember years from now."
    The tulips have gone by now...do they have a scent ? Different scents ?
    WoW.
    I enjoy the poem, and then the mystery of the tulips having a scent.
    Hmmmm.
    Peace
    Siggi

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Spirit, what do you wish to tell us?