Words for Listening – an poem

This is an attempt to write a poem for listening.

 

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Suggested ways of reading the poem:

Silently in your own mind and time

 

The above, but now loud, like screams of a warrior

 

Softly for an audience in an intimate setting – perhaps someone’s living room

 

Privately for yourself in a public space – preferable somewhere busy and loud

 

One word a day, under self-determined circumstances

 

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Words for Listening – an poem

Perhaps it starts with a quite gentle whisper

One the runs through the leaves

fallen under the spell of melting snow

 

Perhaps this image, this sensation and connection is asking you a favor

 

Perhaps these words are followed by a slow hammering

Causing multiple bleeding holes in our vibrant bodies of soft water

 

For each word the mouth may send out

For each moment of strangeness and despair

A listening silence attempt to be a possible answer

A possible way of care

 

 

From the darkness of our silent hide-out

With the waken dreams of our vulnerability

The loud resting march strikes back

Offering the movement of an attuning body

 

 

Words willing to caress blindly the cold and rough wall of stone

 

Without anyone knowing, another listener is being laid to rest

 

Lists of awaiting words, send to fictional addresses

 

 

Are these words for listening?

Are they of listening?

Will they become listening?

 

 

Too tired to breath I lay so still

So very still

Letting a breath blow through the endless jungle of connections

so deep, so full and so longing

Again again

 

Do you feel?

The needles of dying pine trees stretching and reaching

Do you feel them touching?

Do your body feel their tired singing?

An awaiting song of deep humming, marching, and praying