Morning practice begins before I awake,
the inner theater already in motion
as first light enters the window
with the noise of garbage trucks,
a blast of talk-radio when the paper arrives
and the echo of disappearing birds
sounding the hallows for the day to come,
calling me to breathe in and bless
the air of creation.
I love that period before I’m fully awake when I do a self attunement to begin my day. I’m grateful for this practice which begins each day as a blessing.
This one needs to go out in the world. Do you ever submit to say, The New Yorker or other magazines that publish lots of poetry?
Grant
I agree with Grant, I’d love to see this shared with many others in urban lives. To keep a place for hallowed experience and conscious creation amidst the cacophony…
The world needs more of this, ones who awake, aware of the ‘noise’ of this world and bless it. I love the sounds of our neighborhood, dogs barking, neighbors talking in the wee hours as they walk home, the lady who calls for her cat in such a way that it always makes us laugh, the old man who calls the crows to eat with his unique whistle. Our neighbors miss our dog howling with the sirens and we do, too.
I appreciate Grant and Nancy’s comment about spreading this (and these) poems abroad. I’m a grass roots kind of guy and encourage if you have this urge to use the social media links below the poem or forward the email to friends and family. I’d love to see the “community” grow.
I am all about community and grateful you share your poetry
Thank you, Don. I do not share enjoyment of dogs barking in the night. Sleep disturbance during REM time is stressful to healthy brain function.
But, predawn sounds….magical. A Thai bird comes to my balcony railing and sits silently…apparently….and when I roll over and awaken, he begins to chatter, seemingly to me. I reply in soft voice and we carry on 10-15 seconds….every day. It is isolation of non-consciousness that generates much of “lonliness.”
3 house lizards share their space with me. When they chirp, I imitate a chirp back, and we take care of one another. I honor the silent Daddy Longleg spiders dwelling near the ceiling. There are so many more nature friends, but I rest my case in blessing.
Exhale fully & relax & inhale comes naturally–such is the air of creation 😉
In the dark of the early morning, before sunrise, I lay in my hospital bed awake and alive. The urge to sing to my world comes to mind. Such joy I feel as the words ring forth and bless my world. Life is such a gift! I share this knowing with my world. Aho!
I really love this one.