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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by OddipusRex on March 26, 2003, at 10:50:42
The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.-- Theodore Roethke
__________________________________________________
Is it okay to post other people's poems here? I know theY're all over the internet and obviously copyrighted. But is it okay if the Author is mentioned? I know I've posted copyrighted articles from NYtimes. Just letting everyone know I'm not trying to break the law here.What does this poem mean to you? It's talking about death to me-the awareness of death and the moment in the sense of mindfulness of this being all there is. I have to insist on the Eternal Present rather than total meaninglessness though.
What do you think the image about the lowly worm climbs up a winding stair means? The idea of death coming into consciousness, the worms go in and the worms go out of course, it makes me think of evolution is that weird? Yes probably because I always wanted to ask someone about it and now that I've found someone to ask it doesn't exactly feel that way to me. But the line being next to the Light takes the tree which always reminded me of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden..............
What falls away is always........that line just feels like how I feel right now. Always has bit the dust for me.
And learn by going where I have to go.......Agree. I can't do psychobabble(excuse the expression) about where I "choose" to go. I'm going places I never would have chosen and it's just stupid for me to pretend I chose. I guess I can choose whether to go with my eyes open or closed.
Does anyone else have impressions or thoughts about the poem or one they'd like to post? .
Posted by OddipusRex on March 26, 2003, at 10:58:06
In reply to Talk about poems?, posted by OddipusRex on March 26, 2003, at 10:50:42
"Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke"
I like the cover of this book too.
Posted by sienna on March 26, 2003, at 17:28:36
In reply to Talk about poems?, posted by OddipusRex on March 26, 2003, at 10:50:42
Oddipus,
im going away for a day or two, but i will post some poems when i come back.
Sienna
Posted by fayeroe on March 27, 2003, at 20:49:43
In reply to Re: Talk about poems?, posted by sienna on March 26, 2003, at 17:28:36
Sleeping in the Forest by Mary Oliver
I thought the earth remembered me,
she took me back so tenderly,
arranging her dark skirts, her pockets
full of lichens and seeds.
I slept as never before, a stone on the river bed,
nothing between me and the white fire of the stars
but my thoughts, and they floated light as moths
among the branches of the perfect trees.
All night I heard the small kingdoms
breathing around me, the insects,
and the birds who do their work in the darkness.
All night I rose and fell, as if in water,
grappling with a luminous doom. By morning
I had vanished at least a dozen times
into something better.
© Mary Oliverit is okay to post someone's writings if we give the credit with it. and you did! this is my favourite poem right now. i love Mary Oliver. i really like to camp out and this always puts me in a better frame of mind......thank you for posting what you did. I really like his work...
Posted by OddipusRex on March 29, 2003, at 7:04:25
In reply to Re: Talk about poems?, posted by fayeroe on March 27, 2003, at 20:49:43
I like that too. I don't read a lot of poetry and had never heard of Mary Oliver. I looked her up online and found some of her poetry. I really liked "Wild Geese". The first lines were great-"You do not have to be good You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles in the desert repenting"-Well alrighty then! I've been waiting to hear that I think. I liked to camp too but it's been a long time. I have been walking on the beach and gardening. Thanks for posting the poem. It feels so good to discover something new.
> Sleeping in the Forest by Mary Oliver
>
> I thought the earth remembered me,
> she took me back so tenderly,
> arranging her dark skirts, her pockets
> full of lichens and seeds.
> I slept as never before, a stone on the river bed,
> nothing between me and the white fire of the stars
> but my thoughts, and they floated light as moths
> among the branches of the perfect trees.
> All night I heard the small kingdoms
> breathing around me, the insects,
> and the birds who do their work in the darkness.
> All night I rose and fell, as if in water,
> grappling with a luminous doom. By morning
> I had vanished at least a dozen times
> into something better.
>
>
> © Mary Oliver
>
> it is okay to post someone's writings if we give the credit with it. and you did! this is my favourite poem right now. i love Mary Oliver. i really like to camp out and this always puts me in a better frame of mind......thank you for posting what you did. I really like his work...
>
Posted by fayeroe on March 29, 2003, at 7:32:21
In reply to Re: Talk about poems? » fayeroe , posted by OddipusRex on March 29, 2003, at 7:04:25
Wait until you read "The Journey"!!! And the one about the little visitors and the one about the mockingbird.....I discovered her one night, late, while looking for poetry about forests. I was so taken by her because I used to camp, with two of my dogs, on a mesa above my home, in New Mexico, and little animals would come up to the water spring all night long to drink. There was tons of watercress in the spring and it is a magical place. My dogs treed a porcupine one time. He had the ugliest teeth that I've ever seen!! Thank God they just treed him. I posted her on the literary message board that I was on and voila! dozens of new fans for her! And do you know Billy Collins??? Another great one! See, something really cool is going on here! xoxox Pat
Posted by fayeroe on March 30, 2003, at 21:36:05
In reply to Re: Talk about poems? » fayeroe , posted by OddipusRex on March 29, 2003, at 7:04:25
OR: i was just reading your post about finding someone new and it occurred to me that it's like being the only one, right then, that is partaking of this talent, this gift that this person has and it almost makes you shiver as you read it! it's like you and this one other human being are in this together and you are connected to their creative spirit with your appreciation for what they gave you.....(and i haven't been imbibing,smoking or popping anything) :-) just an artistic apprecation high. in fact, i gave three photographs to a doctor friend who is helping me work through being fired and his appreciation, with me in the room, gave me such a good feeling about myself that i wanted to bottle it and hold it to my chest....and i did! xoxox
Posted by fayeroe on April 3, 2003, at 20:24:02
In reply to Talk about poems?, posted by OddipusRex on March 26, 2003, at 10:50:42
Forgetfulness
The name of the author is the first to go
followed obediently by the title, the plot,
the heartbreaking conclusion, the entire novel
which suddenly becomes one you have never read, never
even heard of,as if, one by one, the memories you used to harbor
decided to retire to the southern hemisphere of the brain,
to a little fishing village where there are no phones.Long ago you kissed the nine Muses goodbye
and watched the quadratic equation pack its bag,
and even now as you memorize the order of the planets,something else is slipping away, a state flower perhaps,
the address of an uncle, the capital of Paraguay.Whatever it is you are struggling to remember
it is not poised on the tip of your tongue,
not even lurking in some obscure corner of your spleen.It has floated away down a dark mythological river
whose name begins with an L as far as you can recall,
well on your own way to oblivion where you will join those
who have even forgotten how to swim and how to ride a
bicycle.No wonder you rise in the middle of the night
to look up the date of a famous battle in a book on war.
No wonder the moon in the window seems to have drifted
out of a love poem that you used to know by heart.--Billy Collins
www.bigsnap.com
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©
Posted by sienna on April 3, 2003, at 23:53:23
In reply to Re: Talk about poems?, posted by sienna on March 26, 2003, at 17:28:36
but when i find them will post 'em...
sienna
Posted by OddipusRex on April 9, 2003, at 11:14:42
In reply to Talk about poems?, posted by OddipusRex on March 26, 2003, at 10:50:42
Prayers in the Ark by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold.
Elephant Prayer
Dear God,
It is I, the elephant,
Your creature
who is talking to you.
I am so embarassed by my great self
and truly it is not my fault
if I spoil Your jungle a little with my big feet
Let me be careful and behave wisely,
always keeping my dignity and poise.
Give me such philosophic thoughts
that I can rejoice everywhere I go
in the loveable oddity of things.Amen.
Posted by fayeroe on April 9, 2003, at 11:16:11
In reply to elephant prayer, posted by OddipusRex on April 9, 2003, at 11:14:42
This is the end of the thread.
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