Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Taking a step toward joy

Stepping outside
to catch my breath,
I wandered through the parking lot
and found you there,
a thing of beauty,
lying beneath my feet --
reminding me gently
to return to that space
that lives in the center of being.

How astonishing
that all the earth conspires
to bless us with awareness;
that even the rocks and dirt
bear messages of hope
to the weary
and the lost,
that a simple act of self-control --
of taking a step or a breath --
can bring us back
to a forever kind of Joy...


I wrote this poem for the April 20 Blog Carnival, sponsored by Bridget Chumbley of One Word at a Time and for this week's Carry On Tuesday.

The Blog Carnival is a biweekly online event open to anyone. Participants write on a one-word prompt or topic. This week's is "self-control". Carry On Tuesday is a weekly event, and this week's prompt is "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."

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8 comments:

Louise Gallagher said...

Love your poem. And, if you happen to have picked up that heart rock and have no place for it, I'll gladly take it off your hands. I collect heart rocks -- and that one's a beauty!

Beautiful photo too!

Nice idea -- forever kind of joy.

George S Batty said...

Among the rocks, the trees and the seas joy will be forever found

Diane Walker said...

aw, if I'd only known... but I left it there to bring joy to others.

... and yes, absolutely: rocks trees and seas always bring me joy!

Glynn said...

Reading your poem immediately put me in mind of "the rocks and stones themselves would cry out." Beautiful, Diane.

Maureen said...

Lovely, both image and words.

I id'd with Louise. I have a few hearts, though they are less natural-made than person-made (art glass). My husband used to give them to me.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful poem and pic. Thanks so much for sharing them with us!

Whitesnake said...

Fantastic!

caryjo said...

Being a rock-a-holic, seeing that photo was really neat. And the poem. [And I'll be visiting the Sea-Tac area in July for 3 weeks -- my Mom's 90th b-day -- and can hardly wait to get out and see "my" water, shells, rocks, "MOUNTAIN", and, of course, family -- I guess... I'll fit them into the other infinite desires.]