Today is the first Friday of the month. Time for the Inklings challenge. Molly challenged us to write a poem that answers an unasked question in the spirit of Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s poem Answer. I was intrigued by the way that Mary Lee responded to this prompt by writing after Joe Cottonwood’s Because a Redwood Grove. I wanted to borrow the form and use a repeated because.
Because a Poem
Because upon entering
your breath is taken away
into aha,
yes-and,
me, too.Because breath has power
to stop your heart
and fill it up again.Because words seem to know what they are doing.
Because alongside stars,
rivers flow capturing refracted light.Because something holy
happens here.Because a poem
Margaret Simon, draft
is enough.
Other Inklings Responses to the Challenge:
Heidi
Molly
Mary Lee
Catherine
Linda
The first week of the month also brings Spiritual Thursday. This is a roundup of bloggers writing about their Spiritual Journey. Bob Hamera has the gathering at his blog. He selected the topic of Acceptance and Change.
I follow Faith Broussard on Instagram. Faith was a classmate of my daughter’s and she currently lives in Atlanta. On Instagram, she’s become an influencer known as Fleur-de-lis Speaks. I loved her message today, and she used my 2022 One Little Word, Enough.
My family has changed in the last year. We lost my Dad, and this month we will meet our newest granddaughter. I once had a mentor who told me that God is Change. I actually believe that God is the constant in change. God does not leave us where we are, ever. There are changes that are hard, and changes that are good. Whatever the change, our acceptance, our open arms, our breath is enough. I am enough.
Reflections on the Teche 
Because words seem to know what they are doing.
Love! xo
Margaret, sometimes it is hard to accept change especially when we can’t see where that change will lead or how ir can be good. We do need to have faith that God has things under control and things well work out in the end.
Love the relationship of breathing and this line:
Because words seem to know what they are doing.
Wonderful!
“Because a poem is enough” *sigh*
This stanza really spoke to me,
“Because breath has power
to stop your heart
and fill it up again.”
What a lovely poem you’ve created!
What a beautiful message from fleur-de-lis speaks. It’s perfect for advent. And, my goodness…thank goodness…that God is the constant in the change. Otherwise, I’d drown in it. I haven’t kept up with spiritual Thursday in the busyness of my life. I am going with “enough” and giving myself some grace. My living is my post for now 🙂
Oh Margaret – breath. Because we are made by breath. I may have to go look at your Spiritual Thursday space. Perhaps that is just the “enough” I need right now. Thank you.
I like this as another mantra/meditation…maybe set to music. You used the Because in another effective way!
This stanza leaps out at me, Margaret:
Because breath has power
to stop your heart
and fill it up again.
I’ve been sitting with the breath a lot lately. It is a form of spiritual practice.
I love this so much. This line most of all: “Because words seem to know what they are doing.” but also when the poem turns to the world with
“Because alongside stars,
rivers flow capturing refracted light.”
Simply gorgeous all the way through, and fun to see how the “because” worked for you!
Margaret, “Because breath has power/to stop your heart/and fill it up again” and “a poem is enough” are truisms. Lovely!
So much beauty and heart in these lines,
“Because words seem to know what they are doing.”
and
“Because a poem
is enough.”
Thanks Margaret!
This is so beautiful, Margaret. Follow the breath, follow the words.