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.
Wonderful. It's Rumi-esque and Lee-Upton-esque, which is the best praise I can think of.
ReplyDeleteThat is really beautiful imagery, Ruth. I read it three times and it became more beautiful each time. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful Ruth.
ReplyDelete"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!
Beautiful writing! I love your banner.
ReplyDeleteThis 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.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful Ruth.. very Calming...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful !
ReplyDeleteAlso great images and matching poem!
Happy Thanksgiving Day !
Lovely! Happy Thanksgiving to you!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words along with lovely snapshots of Michigan winter. Did you read this at the poetry reading on Sat.?
ReplyDeleteOh, I love Rumi. And Hafiz. And, and, and. They wake me UP.
ReplyDeleteI love your words...and that beautiful photo. I love the clean crispness of winter once the snow arrives. Lovely.
Beautiful and universal......a poem to reach across time and space.....much like Rumi.
ReplyDeleteThank 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. :)
Exquisite, Ruth.
ReplyDeletei have felt the healing touch of nature Ruth, the wind the earth, the sun.
ReplyDeletedamm! is tht the view outside ur window??? wowow! awesome lines ruth! :)
ReplyDeleteLoring, ah thank you.
ReplyDeleteSusan, thank you for taking the time.
ReplyDeleteRunninL8, "goosebumps" is a wonderful compliment. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandy, you back?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cathy. We have to do something like burn and dance to keep warm, no?
ReplyDeleteOh thank you, Gwen. This time of year gets hectic, and it isn't easy to stay calm.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sid. And do you celebrate Thanksgiving in the Philippines?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Wrensong. Thanksgiving on the farm is great isn't it.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you, Anet. No, I didn't read this. I read three very old ones, this one is brand new.
ReplyDeleteThank 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.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon.
ReplyDeleteOh, 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?
Thanks so much, Vicki.
ReplyDeleteYes rauf, and you have also felt the harshness of nature too.
ReplyDeleteoh 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).
ReplyDeleteThat'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.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful!!!! Love your poem!
ReplyDeleteIt may not be Rumi, but it has beauty and it has power.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I think, more than a little truth.
I think you dance through words ;O)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! (there's that word again)
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.
ReplyDeleteI read every word in your post and comments.
ReplyDeleteAnd I say now only, that they filled my head and I have to think it over.
But you are the best !
Hildegarde, oh, that's some pressure. Maybe the image will get you through, keep you still inside.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Lori! :)
ReplyDeleteBarry - beauty, power and truth - wonderful. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBabs, wow, I love that!
ReplyDeleteSharon, scary.
ReplyDeleteLeena, you are a fellow lover of winter, I think you will understand.
ReplyDeleteOh honey, these are beautiful pictures. I so love Rumi. I must add a few poems to my corner soon. : )
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the p.s help. I actually checked out the classroom book last week from the library.
oh i don't know how i missed the rain Ruth, Happy thanksgiving to you Don, Lesley Brianand Peter. and to all your readers.
ReplyDeletei think my Explorer is playing tricks Ruth, your page opens fine in firefox, comment pop up fine toos.
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 :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving.
Oh...I like the updated look of the blog.
Happy thanks giving thursday ruth :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Christina, I would like to see which poems of Rumi's are meaningful to you.
ReplyDeleteGood! I hope the PS lessons are helpful to you.
Thank you, rauf.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't know what you mean about missing the rain??
Thank you, Drowsey! You're so sweet. Happy Thanksgiving, even though I know you already celebrated yours up there.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Nautankey! Hope the heavy rain has stopped in Chennai. (But I should never wish for rain to stop there.)
ReplyDeleteoh i said the healing touch of nature, earth, wind, the sun and left out water, rain my my case Ruth
ReplyDeleteA look at your beautiful pictures and a look into your beautiful heart. Thank you for sharing both!
ReplyDeleteStunning photo and beautiful words. We should all take time to embrace the night.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Thanksgiving. There is so much to be thankful for.
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.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
ReplyDeleterauf, 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.
ReplyDeleteCarl, ohh, thank you.
ReplyDeleteSue, 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.
ReplyDeleteI thought you'd like it, Bob, duh.
ReplyDeleteThank you, but I don't know what you mean about words, because I love what you write when you tell your stories!
Bonjour, Alice! Merci beaucoup, le même à vous!
ReplyDeleteoh dear, I'm late to the party.
ReplyDeletethis makes me want to read Rumi.
I especially love the first photo, amazing how you captured the c-o-l-d.
Thank you, Sanna. Please do try some Rumi.
ReplyDeleteThe 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.
WOW Ruth! Your words are captivating....and so are the pics!
ReplyDeleteGreat work!!
Thank you so much, Kerri. :)
ReplyDeleteI write but so clumsy,lol.at least my spelling is getting better, not as many red lines under the words,lol
ReplyDeleteBob: :D
ReplyDeleteEven 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.
ReplyDeleteBoots, how wonderful.
ReplyDelete