alskuefhaih
asoiefh

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

open air



Almost every day I read a few lines of Rumi. His words inspire me to be the authority of my own life. Remember when you wrote in school "I think" and your teacher told you to remove that phrase and just say what you think? I tried writing this poem that way, and in the manner of Rumi. I don't mean to compare myself to him, he's incomparable. But I'm happy to be a copyist of what inspires me, like painting students who copy masterpieces in the Louvre. Amazing! I'm not comparing myself to them either.


Open Air


Go outside at night
somewhere with trees.
See how the branches open to the moon.

There is love that is not hot.
Even on the coldest nights
its arms are open.

It is the warmth inside
that keeps you alive.
The sun in your blood as in a leaf
and in the branch
after the leaf turns red
and falls.

Close your eyes. Feel how like love
are the cool fingers of the wind
on your face.


- Ruth M.


Happy Thanksgiving Thursday.

66 comments:

Loring Wirbel said...

Wonderful. It's Rumi-esque and Lee-Upton-esque, which is the best praise I can think of.

Susan said...

That is really beautiful imagery, Ruth. I read it three times and it became more beautiful each time. Thank you.

RunninL8 said...

Just beautiful Ruth.
"It is the warmth inside
that keeps you alive.
The sun in your blood as in a leaf
and in the branch
after the leaf turns red
and falls."
Goosebumps. Really resonates.
Thank you!

sandy said...

Beautiful writing! I love your banner.

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful Ruth. Like you I love the solitude of the winter nights and the quiet reflection that burns within. As for Rumi, let's dance, like this...love that.Holiday wishes.

Gwen Buchanan said...

So beautiful Ruth.. very Calming...

Sidney said...

Beautiful !
Also great images and matching poem!
Happy Thanksgiving Day !

Gone2theDawgs said...

Lovely! Happy Thanksgiving to you!!

Anet said...

Beautiful words along with lovely snapshots of Michigan winter. Did you read this at the poetry reading on Sat.?

denise said...

Oh, I love Rumi. And Hafiz. And, and, and. They wake me UP.

I love your words...and that beautiful photo. I love the clean crispness of winter once the snow arrives. Lovely.

Sharon said...

Beautiful and universal......a poem to reach across time and space.....much like Rumi.
Thank You.



I went outside Saturday night at 4 am. awoken by cat screams. I ran down the stairs, out the door, and into the snow. My steps, my pounding sleepy heart, and the porch light quieted the cats. I called out to the stillness but only an owl answered and even he scared me. Everything was frozen except my mind conjuring a forest full of imaginary cougars. Shivering, I went back inside. I felt more awake than I have in a long time..... and all the cats were in. :)

Vicki Holdwick said...

Exquisite, Ruth.

rauf said...

i have felt the healing touch of nature Ruth, the wind the earth, the sun.

Anonymous said...

damm! is tht the view outside ur window??? wowow! awesome lines ruth! :)

Ruth said...

Loring, ah thank you.

Ruth said...

Susan, thank you for taking the time.

Ruth said...

RunninL8, "goosebumps" is a wonderful compliment. Thank you.

Ruth said...

Thank you, Sandy, you back?

Ruth said...

Thank you, Cathy. We have to do something like burn and dance to keep warm, no?

Ruth said...

Oh thank you, Gwen. This time of year gets hectic, and it isn't easy to stay calm.

Ruth said...

Thank you, Sid. And do you celebrate Thanksgiving in the Philippines?

Ruth said...

Thank you so much, Wrensong. Thanksgiving on the farm is great isn't it.

Ruth said...

Oh thank you, Anet. No, I didn't read this. I read three very old ones, this one is brand new.

Ruth said...

Thank you, Denise. Yes, something about winter draws out the inner heat, I think the little ones feel it too, if parents appreciate it as you do.

Ruth said...

Thank you, Sharon.

Oh, that's creepy!!! I'm getting conjurings of some freaky movie images by M. Night. But cougars would be scary enough without the extra dimensional weirdness. That's where I go though. :| Do cougars ever attack people?

Ruth said...

Thanks so much, Vicki.

Ruth said...

Yes rauf, and you have also felt the harshness of nature too.

Ruth said...

oh thanks, Prasad, but no, not outside our window, although our view is nice too. This was on the road going to work, snapped last year actually. But it looks just the same now (except for the full moon).

Anonymous said...

That's a very inspiring poem, I already see images before my eyes of a woman who is a tree with arms held up and open to the moon, but .... there is a basket with a tower on it of ironing to be done and a glammer photo for a commercial has to be ready (and approved) today.

Lori said...

Absolutely beautiful!!!! Love your poem!

Barry said...

It may not be Rumi, but it has beauty and it has power.

And, I think, more than a little truth.

Babs (Beetle) said...

I think you dance through words ;O)

Beautiful! (there's that word again)

Sharon said...

Most mountain lion attacks happen in California where their habitat has seriously dwindled because of human encroachment. They will attack in rare instances, primarily older and feeble cats. There haven't been any attacks in our area so my fears are not entirely rational. It's just being outside alone in the dark and knowing that they're out there too is a little nerve wracking. Plus you can always count on that the see you and you will rarely see them. Lots of Story people photograph them and post their pictures at our little store. The closest I've gotten is tracks in the freshly fallen snow and their calling directly outside our bedroom window at night.

Anonymous said...

I read every word in your post and comments.
And I say now only, that they filled my head and I have to think it over.
But you are the best !

Ruth said...

Hildegarde, oh, that's some pressure. Maybe the image will get you through, keep you still inside.

Ruth said...

Thank you so much, Lori! :)

Ruth said...

Barry - beauty, power and truth - wonderful. Thank you.

Ruth said...

Babs, wow, I love that!

Ruth said...

Sharon, scary.

Ruth said...

Leena, you are a fellow lover of winter, I think you will understand.

christina said...

Oh honey, these are beautiful pictures. I so love Rumi. I must add a few poems to my corner soon. : )

Thank you so much for the p.s help. I actually checked out the classroom book last week from the library.

silver said...

oh i don't know how i missed the rain Ruth, Happy thanksgiving to you Don, Lesley Brianand Peter. and to all your readers.

i think my Explorer is playing tricks Ruth, your page opens fine in firefox, comment pop up fine toos.

MYM said...

That's just beautiful Ruth. And the photo is breathtaking. You really need to publish your photos, they're amazing. But until then, I'll just keep vising your blogs :)

Happy Thanksgiving.

Oh...I like the updated look of the blog.

Nautankey said...

Happy thanks giving thursday ruth :)

Ruth said...

Thank you, Christina, I would like to see which poems of Rumi's are meaningful to you.

Good! I hope the PS lessons are helpful to you.

Ruth said...

Thank you, rauf.

But I don't know what you mean about missing the rain??

Ruth said...

Thank you, Drowsey! You're so sweet. Happy Thanksgiving, even though I know you already celebrated yours up there.

Ruth said...

Thank you so much, Nautankey! Hope the heavy rain has stopped in Chennai. (But I should never wish for rain to stop there.)

rauf said...

oh i said the healing touch of nature, earth, wind, the sun and left out water, rain my my case Ruth

Carl H. Sr. said...

A look at your beautiful pictures and a look into your beautiful heart. Thank you for sharing both!

photowannabe said...

Stunning photo and beautiful words. We should all take time to embrace the night.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. There is so much to be thankful for.

Bob Johnson said...

Wow, very cool, love the images, duh, Moon, and the way you put how you feel into works, is so beautiful, wish I could do that.

alice said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Ruth said...

rauf, oh! Even commenting on rain in Chennai to N'taukey I didn't catch it. I hope all is well with your weather, and I'm very sad about the violence in Mumbai. Please be safe, rauf.

Ruth said...

Carl, ohh, thank you.

Ruth said...

Sue, I didn't know how wonderful night is until we had a hot tub here on the farm. To sit out there under the night sky and the trees is one of my great pleasures.

Ruth said...

I thought you'd like it, Bob, duh.

Thank you, but I don't know what you mean about words, because I love what you write when you tell your stories!

Ruth said...

Bonjour, Alice! Merci beaucoup, le même à vous!

VioletSky said...

oh dear, I'm late to the party.
this makes me want to read Rumi.

I especially love the first photo, amazing how you captured the c-o-l-d.

Ruth said...

Thank you, Sanna. Please do try some Rumi.

The photo was shot last year on my drive to work. I always have to give myself extra time in case I want to stop for a photo.

Kerri Farley said...

WOW Ruth! Your words are captivating....and so are the pics!
Great work!!

Ruth said...

Thank you so much, Kerri. :)

Bob Johnson said...

I write but so clumsy,lol.at least my spelling is getting better, not as many red lines under the words,lol

Ruth said...

Bob: :D

Ginnie Hart said...

Even though I feel so terribly behind, Ruth, today was the day I was supposed to read this. It is such a beautiful thought...that "there is love that is not hot" and that it's the warmth inside that keeps us alive. Thank you.

Ruth said...

Boots, how wonderful.