My poem pick of the week is "May Peace Come" by Ruth Forman
This is a great example of litany or a list poem that knows when to break from repetition and how to set the tone for a spiritual poem
A poem about peace must at least mention breath and take a step towards it. So there is no greater way to begin welcoming peace
than:
with each breath
each step upon the ground
each blink
may peace be called
The choice of case is humble, of course, and all religious scriptures are paid their due respect with capital letters in the longest line
each broken heart
each Bible clutched each Torah each Koran each holy book in every land
Yet I noticed there's no use of punctuation possibly to imply that the only pause necessary is the pause for peace and there is likely only one stanza to promote the idea of oneness. The repeating of the words may and each echo throughout this piece on peace but what lingers for me most is the imagery of children
to whom we owe a great amount of peace especially those who have only known war time.
may peace be called
each son running into his father's arms
each mouth that will not close
each child calling a parent that will never come
each teenager learning her path head up back straight
and my favorite of all (given I won't be birthing any babies)
each blossoming belly despite us all
Because it is with a great many reasons the author acknowledges that waking up a slumbering peace may indeed be
some slim chance
Yet and still, all these pregnant women in 2012 are still walking around with blossoming babies yes...."despite us all"
I also love that Forman doesn't separate herself from the trigger happy warriors because she recognizes this is for our higher and lower selves
each you
each me reaching
Knowing we must reach as a collective and as whole spiritual beings seeking to be complete
If we are ever to convince peace to hear our call and fall in love with us again
Beautiful post, Venus. For me, Forman's poem was really what I needed tonight. It calmed me, her repetitions and voice soothed me, and I love what you say here: "This is a great example of litany or a list poem that knows when to break from repetition. . . A poem about peace must at least mention breath and take a step towards it."
ReplyDeleteYou're so right. It's a great litany poem, and it knows how to pause, how to breathe, and how to mention breath in a subtle and absolutely alluring way.
it is a great litany poem and we'll talk more in class through your vision.e
ReplyDeletevenus, i think you're right that a poem about peace should give some attention to breath. i would've never thought about it that way, but approaching peace is all about taking a step back, centering the self (and community), acting in a measured way, taking a breath.
ReplyDeletei also really liked your thought about the lack of punctuation pointing to the only pause being a pause for peace-- how insightful!
and i also do see a call for collectivity in this poem and for connection, and for us to be moved to support each other through even our many differences and many realities.