I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

20 July 2016

At This Point on the Journey

Good companions are leaving – 
some without farewell. Let me now revisit 
places where I paused in delight, 
before I too stop travelling. 
                                              In Nepal 
I recall we walked through fields of weed
to meet the Bonpo Abbott. He revealed
wisdom but no lasting answers.


A quadrille for dVerse, on the word 'journey'.  


Back story:

Vivienne Blake, a warm and talented English poet resident in France, whom I knew only online, died suddenly and unexpectedly on July 5th. Billy Marshall Stoneking, an American-Australian poet and film-maker, died on July 15th. As far as I can gather, that was sudden and unexpected too. I remember him from the days when we were both young performance poets, committed to taking poetry 'off the page'. In recent years, we reconnected on facebook. Though neither was a close friend, it's a shock.

Today, over lunch with one who is a close friend, talk turned to Tibet, Nepal, Buddhism, and the earlier Bon (aka Bonpo) religion. This evening I looked at dVerse to see an interview with another poet I only know online, just returned from time in Nepal, plus a prompt for a quadrille on the subject of 'journey'. And it all came together....


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9 comments:

  1. adcitlali20 July 2016 at 21:07

    I like how your poem is a pause in the journey of life. While part of the journey, the pause allows reflection. Nice.

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  2. Other Mary20 July 2016 at 22:05

    The death of a friend certainly does make us stop and think.

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  3. Anonymous20 July 2016 at 23:29

    It would be nice to get some answers. Very beautiful piece- those farewells are so sad but at least the sadness lets us know that we truly loved.

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  4. tonispencer21 July 2016 at 00:52

    And now I know you were a performance artist! Excellent sevenling and well said about the sudden departures in our lives. I had two such departures within a month of each other in 2015 and now Viv...we do pause to reflect at such times. And the Bishop - so wise but obviously, not very smart.

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  5. Victoria21 July 2016 at 13:05

    Yes, those pauses are so important in our journeys.

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  6. lynn__21 July 2016 at 13:49

    Your first and final sentences grabbed me, Rosemary! Gotta love it when it all comes together :)

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  7. Truedessa23 July 2016 at 12:25

    Sometimes, the mystery comes together or would that be some sort of synchronicity when the universe is speaking and we need to pause and listen. It is sad to lose a friend.

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  8. Gayle Walters Rose23 July 2016 at 14:47

    So cool how all these instances fell into place, Rosemary. Sometimes we are in alignment with the Universe and it feels so right! Thanks for your notes.

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