Found Poem

At a recent retreat, I led a group in constructing poems from found phrases and the words of other poets.  The process resembles the ancient method of lectio divina, and always rewards the effort.  Try it.  

 

On Longing

 

God needs our longing

(It doesn’t have to be perfect)

and long work

(It can be brunt brownies).

 

Turning our lives into celebration

is not easy.

Keep a modest face,

hope for deeper acquaintance

with the rose –

from thorns emerge the whitest stars.

 

A few words

uprightly burning

is all that is needed.

 

The day you see this,

That day you will become it.

 

(Thanks to Mary Oliver, Sun Bu-er, Nelly Sachs, and Gabriela Mistral)