Spring blessings

 

Make the Ordinary Come Alive      by William Martin

 

Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is a way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples, and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.

 

From The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents

 

 

photograph Rose Cook

A Poetry of Elephants – Sunday March 19th at 2.30-4.30pm in the Ice Factory, Somerset Place, Teignmouth TQ14 8EN inc tea & cakes (part of the Teignmouth Poetry Festival)

 

I will be reading as part of this event. Here is one of my poems from the anthology:

Elephant

 

I am slow.

I am sway.

I am echo.

The great earth holds me.

I am ship. I am flow.

My bones are of whales.

I am large and grateful. I move with no hurry.

There is time. We have time.

Watch my eye. With it I see you and the shine of colour,

which fills me till my grey skin rustles.

I know there is an always happiness here

even in the mud. The frog knows.

Follow me.

We will go in procession.

Follow and feel the rhythm of my walk.

Slow, slow.

My steps sway you,

I will rock you to beyond yourself.

Be yourself

Be more than you have ever been.

Be what you have always been.

Be with me.

Be with me.

Follow. Follow me.

 

 

by Rose Cook