Monday, March 18, 2013

Truth Remains

Live in silence,
Close your eyes,
Speak only to yourself.

This beauty is only for the blind,
For those who can see
Won't understand.

Follow your thoughts to their rest,
Truth cannot fill
An overflowing cup.

I am glad for the glass door
That is hiding me from deception.

Ask no questions,
Receive no answers.

Be guided by the feetless walk
Upon winding paths of the mind.

In this place,
Deception and truth
Live side by side, yet
Neither will speak their name.

Only in the silence
Will truth become real
And deception will burn away
Like mist in the rays
Of a rising sun.

In the silence,
Only truth remains.


Submitted to imaginary garden with real toads and dVerse Poets 


This poem is the result of an exercise in a workshop I took part in last Saturday put on by the delightful Tanya Evanson. This was my first workshop, "Writing Under The Influence" and it inspired me to purchase a book of Rumi's poems. The exercise had us give Tanya lines to create a group poem, we were then instructed to edit the group poem and share with the group. Below are the lines of our group poem:


Live in silence,
Close your eyes,
Speak only to yourself,
Hear without ears,
Feel without touching,
Sense without being,
This beauty is only for the blind,
For those who can see won't understand,
Follow your thoughts to their rest,
I am unable to speak, but I can use my hands,
Truth can not fill an overflowing cup,
Sense the spirit that lives outside,
I'm glad for the glass door that is hiding me from deception,
Ask no questions, my body shows it all,
Guided by the feetless walk,
Upon winding paths of the mind,
Trees move not, hear not sound, mind sees and hears all,


Then we had a cool judging process, Truth remains got the following:

Soothing
Outstanding
Moving
Stirring
Kindness
Loved It
Awe-inspiring
Promising
Languid
Living
Sensuous

Many thanks to Tanya Evanson and Glen of Best of Books for the great workshop.

10 comments:

Brian Miller said...

what a cool exercise...and neat as well that you came up with a group poem as well...in your own, the lines that jumped out at me...

Deception and truth
Live side by side, yet
Neither will speak their name

also that next stanza as well...
on what you find in the silence....really would be cool to take a workshop on poetry.

Kay L. Davies said...

Impressive that a group project came out so beautifully.
K

Claudia said...

oh wow...that is really cool and i like much what you've done with it... such an interesting exercise.. love the images...my fav being the mist in the rays of a rising sun..

Susan Daniels said...

Wonderful exercise--thank you for sharing the result!

Anonymous said...

I love this! This is absolutely great!

henry clemmons said...

I like, and great advice. Last two stanzas are like tattoos. And the exercise was very enlightning and inspiring.

Grace said...

I agree, this is a good exercise ~ Thanks for sharing them in OLN ~

Anonymous said...

Everyday I'm reminded to meditate... this was an unexpected source though. :D

James Rainsford said...

Love the intensity and economy of language in your work. Interesting exercise too.

RMP said...

the idea of closing my eyes and living in silence is quite enticing, but I'm not 100% sure I want to know the truth buried there. an interesting (and obviously, fruitful) exercise.

 
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