Bright morning star of Winter, it awakens me to Dawn...
There are few mornings when I am up from bed so early, as I was some years ago on a regular basis. My kinship to this experience of the Holy Spirit, and the stirring of neighbors is still with me, though this poem tells of an intense experience--religious. Christmas remains, and Epiphany is not so far away. I can say that I have seen a star in the sky so keen that it reminded me of the Magi and the star they followed. Of course, theirs was the brightest possible, and so large! I like to think that we can see a star that is a reminder of Christ. Happy New Year!
Early morning
by Peter Menkin (2000)
Startling reminder, ray point of light (star):
come winter daytime,
bring early morning to awaken anew before dawn, with life to arise.
Stretch pearl luster and harken
with children, young parents, neighbors,
and babies unborn asleep, resting in the womb
to come forth beginning.
The new day has intentions.
You Holy Spirit stir me, health and hopefulness restore.
If I could format this poem another way on this site, I would do so. I've been told it is difficult to read with the sentence fragments, and the punctuation. I've tried to help it along. You may know, my father was a radio and television writer. He wrote dialogue, and camera shots, and all kinds of things. In all he wrote, I think he wrote fragments at least 90 percent of the time. So for me it has been catching, or inherited, to write fragments. I think you will find the poem readable. Let me know if you like it. Merry Christmas to all.
Winter Light Brightens the Path
By Peter Menkin
On Day Ten Winter sunlight
brightens the path.
Seek peace in knowledge.
He is with us, midmorning light.
The pilgrim witness to Yes.
Creation-beauty, You in Godhead
are indivisible Triune starry night before.
Soothing friendly good earth.
Perfect man, perfect God walk with us.
Reminder, ever the sound of love: gift.
Twelve days, festival time of sacred: holiday.
This is the way, where He is with us.
The days.
Day ten midmorning walk revealing the white light.
Notice the Spirit of God, it is being awakened in us for Christmas...
Sometimes my poems are better, and sometimes they are not so good. That's how it goes with poetry. So is my experience. Here is a poem about Advent, written in the year 2001. My experience this third Sunday of Advent in Church was a different experience, yet similar. The Spirit was present today in our worship service of Lessons & Carols. And the Spirit was present in some readings I am doing for Advent. I am reading two books this season. Here I'll first mention the supplemental book.
Published by Morehouse, an Episcopal publishing house, the book titled "Run, Shepherds, Run" is by L. William Countryman. The subtitle is "Poems for Advent and Christmas." A dear friend bought me this book, one I did not know about, and I am grateful to her.
The main book I am reading is titled, "Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas." It is a collection of different writers writing about this season. Published by Orbis, a Maryknoll house, I have found these helpful in giving me direction this season.
Here are some words from the hymn printed in the book of poems. The author is anonymous.
O come thou Wisdom from on high,/who orderest all things mightily;/to us the path of knowledge show,/and teach us in her ways to go.
Here is a good reason to go to Church -- to find God...
Lately, and by that I mean the last six months, I have been reworking poems. Here is one I workshopped on Blueline Poetry. My visits there have been helpful. This poem is about wanting God in one's life. More so, it says "yearning." Advent and Christmas are good seasons for finding God. We ask that the Lord Christ be born in our heart at Christmas. Advent is the preparation for the birth of Christ.
Musical sound reminding the listener of contemplation, an experience...
This is a more unusual poem, hopefully worthwhile. I wrote it more than five years ago, in 2000. It speaks of the melding of music in the cathedral and the experience of contemplative prayer. There is an opening up, an ascending in hearing the music, just as there is in contemplative prayer.
My way into contemplative prayer is by centering prayer. I do so in quiet, no music. So why this poem about music and prayer? As I say, the experience is similar in regards to a feeling of God's presence.
I bought the CD of the music played by the group. It is "Officium" with Jan Garbarek, The Hilliard Ensemble. Check out Amazon.com to buy or look at the album. Amazon says of the CD:
"What is this music?" Fundamentally, it's an exploration of what happens when an improvisatory instrumental voice (saxophone) is placed into the world of early vocal music, which has elements of both improvisation and formal structure. In reality, it's an adventure in which the four male voices of the Hilliard Ensemble travel the 14th- and 15th-century territory of Morales and Dufay, visit the 12th century of Perotin, and roam even earlier ages of plainchant, accompanied by the always sensitive and tasteful, often astonishing, saxophone improvisations of jazz master Jan Garbarek. Sometimes, these new melodies simply accompany; sometimes they transform the common--a routine minor chord, for instance--into a sublime, indescribable moment. The answer to the above question is easy, but it's different for each listener. --David Vernier
Waiting engagement in contemplation: to Be/Ascend...(2000)
by Peter Menkin
The existential aloneness, yearning
enters as a musical cry, like a procession
the music flows through the building.
I join this human allowance in the finitude.
In retrospect, memory brings days enjoyed,l
ike the heart seeking. Beautiful sound.
The hearing of the listening ear
enjoins the great spirits [heavenly praise] who gather
in bringing more clearly a presence:
everlasting peace in a depth of I am, stays.
What elicited this to mind was sound.
This more than exercise as a movement
in music is recollected from the Cathedral,
where the players invoked a sense of Christ,
done by the Hilliard Ensemble--
music that speaks spare words:
A saxaphonist met a vocal quartet.
Listen to this unusual sound.
What they play brings consideration... in the morning,
Advent, the season for preparation for the birth of Christ...
The best thing about this poem is that it says, "Mary says 'yes' to the Lord." I like that very much, it is so wonderful. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,/ my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." That from "The Song of Mary" also called, "Magnificat." I know my poem doesn't compare to it, yet I join my voice with others in proclaiming the wonder.
