Friday, October 13, 2006

Ordinary Time -- A Poem

Ordinary time

My days are alive in recent weeks
With change and transformations
So rapid I cannot keep up.

Like the frames of a movie
Spinning past bright light,
I cannot see them one by one.

But I absorb the unfolding story
And recognize it as my own,
Suspending my disbelief.

I am alive not only to my pain,
Which I had begun to suppress
In the false name of wellness,

But I am alive to my joys,
Which no longer seem forced
Through a cloud of grief.

And this is new,
I am alive to calm and stability
And dare I say a life sometimes absent intensity.

I am alive to those times
In between joy and pain,
I am alive to ordinary time.

I am alive to the olive tree
Ablaze with sunlight at the magic hour
That is the inspiration of poets and painters

And filmmakers
And souls seeking rest and restoration.


10 comments:

Unknown said...

Love the picture and the poem. Welcome to revgalblogpals.

RevErikaG said...

Dang, Karen.
I'm gonna print that and post it in my office.
Touched the soul, woman.
Thanks...EG

Molly Vetter said...

a beautiful poem--words, images and thoughts so wonderfully woven (er, edited?) together.

you rock. ;)

Molly Vetter said...

maybe "spliced" was the word i was looking for. remember the old days when you spliced filmstrips?!?!?

this imovie generation will never know.

karen said...

Even the imovie generation edits and splices.

They just do it digitally.

Poetry, I suspect, remains forever analog.

lutheranmom said...

absolutely beautiful poem and picture

Dorcas (aka SingingOwl) said...

What LutheranMom said. And welcome to the RevGals. :-)

Dorcas (aka SingingOwl) said...

What LutheranMom said. And welcome to the RevGals. :-)

see-through faith said...

love the pic

oh and welcome to revgals

Shawna Atteberry said...

I love both the poem and picture. Welcome to revgalblogpals.