The Tibetan flute player's melodious sounds touched my soul with penetrating peace. I needed to research the poem and found a surprise! Could I do such a thing? The poem glamorized our raw vulnerability for a profound cause. My research stated that Donna Sheehan is the author of the poem.
Ooh—where did you learn that about Sheehan? I can only find her identified as the organizer of the event that gave rise to the poem. Poets.org, where I think I initially harvested the poem, is usually extremely careful about its citations: https://poets.org/poem/fifty-who-formed-peace-their-bodies Please tell me more?
There is a Zen proverb that says,
“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”
We live in an age of disembodiment.
We live in our minds most of the time.
We need to remember to invite our bodies along, too.
It lives in the present moment and has wisdom to offer.
Love this, Nancy. The body, living NOW. The body, having its own wisdom. Thank you!
The Tibetan flute player's melodious sounds touched my soul with penetrating peace. I needed to research the poem and found a surprise! Could I do such a thing? The poem glamorized our raw vulnerability for a profound cause. My research stated that Donna Sheehan is the author of the poem.
I wanted to find out more, too. Hopefully I will find out what happened here...
Get ready...
This your source? https://behindthelinespoetry.blogspot.com/2007/06/baring-witness-donna-sheehan-and-for.html
Yes. Our reflections crossed paths.
I love path-crossings!
Paths are meant to cross!
I note that the poem is by Philip Metres and the event was by Donna Sheehan.
https://behindthelinespoetry.blogspot.com/2007/06/baring-witness-donna-sheehan-and-for.html
Ooh—where did you learn that about Sheehan? I can only find her identified as the organizer of the event that gave rise to the poem. Poets.org, where I think I initially harvested the poem, is usually extremely careful about its citations: https://poets.org/poem/fifty-who-formed-peace-their-bodies Please tell me more?
I am sorry. My apologies about the goof-up. I misinterpreted this article: https://behindthelinespoetry.blogspot.com/2007/06/baring-witness-donna-sheehan-and-for.html
It happens! But thanks for nudging us to look more at the story behind the poem . . .
Only in sleep will my dreaming
body be disarmed. And then,
only maybe.
Pieces of the world in crisis,
filled with generational hate,
taught to be this way. Taught
that this is the only way.
My dreaming disarmed body
doesn’t hate, doesn’t feel a
need to blame others.
But, even as I sleep, my mind
works over worries,
responsibilities, choices not made.
I often wake to shudders
and panic
as the monsters of the world
and of my mind
retreat from battle
if only for a while.
I feel your vulnerability here. I wonder if you might find more ways to befriend your body?
Oh, honestly, this is the mind working and waking the body.
“Only in sleep will my dreaming
body be disarmed.”
❤️❤️
I don’t always remember the details of my dreams, but I have a sensation of them when I wake. I am sometimes lost and/or very busy.
Doing what? Not sure...but as far as I can tell, sleep offers retreat from the the monsters of this world and I am grateful.
Thanks for sharing❣️