I haven’t posted a poem here in a while, but on this rainy foggy day in the middle of winter, it seemed time for a poem, and time for this one. A loving reminder of the rhythm. We all need to remember her.
The Rhythm
Art by Shelley Kommers
In any creative feat
(by which I mean your work, your art, your life)
there will be downtimes.
Or so it seems.
Just as the earth is busy before the harvest
and a baby grows before its birth,
there is no silence in you.
There is no time of nothingness.
What if,
during the quiet times, when the idea flow is hushed and hard to find
you trusted (and yes I mean trusted)
that the well was filling, the waters moving?
What if you trusted
that for the rest of eternity,
without prodding, without self-discipline,
without getting over being yourself,
you would be gifted every ounce of productivity you need?
What would leave you? What would open?
And what if during the quiet times you ate great meals
and leaned back to smile at the stars,
and saw them there, as they always are,
nourishing you?
There are seasons and harvest is only a fraction of one of them.
We forget this.
There is the rhythm that made everything.
The next time you stand in the kitchen, leaning,
the next time a moment of silence catches you there,
hear it, that rhythm, and let it place a stone in your spine.
Let it bring you some place beautiful.
Tara Sophia Mohr, from Your Other Names: Poems for Wise Living
Upcoming Events
I have two events coming up and would to meet you at them!
San Francisco Weekend Playing Big Workshop: There are just two spots left in my April 14-15 Playing Big two day workshop at the San Francisco coast. This is the first time I’m taking the Playing Big material into a small-group, weekend workshop format. You can learn more about it here.
Seattle Workshops: I’ll be leading two workshops in Seattle – a morning workshop on “Finding and Freeing Your Inner Writer” and an afternoon workshop on “Playing Bigger in Your Work and in Your Life.” I have a special fondness for the Pacific Northwest and it’s culture – I’m really looking forward to this gathering. Click here to learn more and to register.
Thank you, Tara. I had been missing your poetry, patiently waiting for the harvest. Of course, it came at the perfect time as I am preparing the lesson for next week’s topic in my photography workshop on, you guessed it, rhythm. For sure, i will be pointing to your poem.
This is a truly lovely poem, thanks for sharing. It speaks to me about the lulls in my life and explains what is truly happening, especially those parts we don’t see. It means to never give up!
Thanks for sharing this, Tara. Just what I needed today!
So love this poem, and the feeling of sweet allowance it brings.
Permission to sit with wonder and truly enjoy it!
Really love your poetry, Tara, it centers me every time I read it!
There must be something going through the collective unconscious about rhythm ’cause after reading your post, I came across Jamie Ridler’s video about rhythm:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhU2vVu6YUI&feature=colike
Tara, you really tapped into the feeling of today’s rainy day. Your poem struck a chord and is a good reminder that the productivity will come when needed and to experience the joy of being quiet
And . . . Christine Mason Miller posted about Rhythm yesterday: http://christinemasonmiller.com/2012/03/12/rhythm/
Your poem was beautiful… absolutely touched my core. I have learned to trust the pace of my life more as I have gotten older, but sometimes I forget. It’s nice to be reminded in such a lovely way.
Thank you for sharing
I love this poem. It was a wonderful reminder for me, that just as my sons were gestating in me while I did nothing to help that along, so too are ideas and projects and more doing the same thing.
Thank you Tara Sophia. Cherry
This poem really give us hope in bad times when there is nothing left but just faith in Universe. Thank you for sharing with us.
Thank you for your strength writing this poem and your generosity sharing it. Your work stirs and awakens a universal truth inside us.
Blessings, Christine
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your website
and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts.
Any way I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently fast.
I’m really impressed with your writing talent. Anyway keep up the superb high quality writing,
it’s rare to see a great blog such as this nowadays.
Yes! Finally something about container homes.
Fastidious replies in return of this difficulty with firm arguments and explaining all concerning that.