Poetry is Important

One of the best gifts I can be given is a book.  If I have a weakness for ‘stuff’ it would be books.  At any given time I am reading 2-3 books at once.  I would not say that I’m a speed reader and this means that it can take me a bit of time to complete a book, especially if the page count exceeds 200.  I’m okay with this modus operandi.  In recent years I was a student and while I miss being a student, and until I become one again, I will enjoy the freedom to read what I want, when I want, and at my own pace. 

One of my favorite types of reading material is undoubtedly a book and/or compilation of poetry.  Partly because I can pick it up and lay it down without the need of ‘finishing’.  I glean a moment of knowledge, inspiration, sorrow, romance, adventure…. and so much more!  “Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder.” Kahlil Gibran

Some time ago a precious individual gifted me with a book entitled Poetry as Spiritual Practice: Reading, Writing, and Using Poetry in Your Daily Rituals, Aspirations, and Intentions by Robert McDowell.  Upon receiving it I began reading and practicing some of the exercises.  However, time quickly became limited and I had to set it down.  It wasn’t until this week that I decided to pick it up and begin again.  So far, I like what I’ve read.  Here are a few of the quotations that have stuck out to me:

Most important, we wake up to poetry’s essence, its spirit.  It is as if a long-settled cloud in our mind suddenly dissipates and we are divine once again.  We see the poetry in life around us and we can incorporate it into our daily lives and our spiritual practices.

Poetry is the language of devotion…just as any practice done well requires focus, poetry as spiritual practice requires unwavering presence in the moment.

Nothing creates greater understanding of poetry and intimacy with it than writing it yourself.

Inspiration in our lives tends to ebb and flow.  Recently I have experienced an ebb but at the same time feel a restlessness of the creativity that once overflowed freely.  I’ve decided that it’s time to tap into some of that restlessness and allow the creativity to flow despite my distrust of what might surface.  Like today, I will on occasion share some of my exercises in this blog. 

The exercise I chose today was a “personal pyramid of poetry.”   The exercise involves naming 10 reasons why poetry is important to you.  These become the blocks in your pyramid.  “Begin with four blocks as your foundation, three blocks across above it, two blocks in a shelf above that, and one block as your pyramid’s tip.”   Here is my pyramid:  Poetry Pyramid

What I like about this book is that the exercises can be done alone or can be discussed/done with others.  One of the questions it asks is “What does your pyramid say about your expectations?  Your writing and spiritual goals?” 

Only time will tell … stayed tuned!