Tag: poetry

Everyday contentment

A hailstorm engulfed the woods.

I walked, partially sheltered by

the bare branches,

cocooned, warm in my coat as

the hailstones drummed on my head.

It passed over, the last balls of ice

bounced off my hair as

I put my hood down.

I emerged into sunshine,

a cool fresh breeze,

and contentment.

You can always find contentment if you walk far enough!

Moonlight

These gentle beams

which bathe my skin

touched the cold rock of the moon

moments before they touched me.

I sit in wonder

intimately connected

to the universe.

Judgment

Imagine
turning certainty
and judgment
into wondering,
into curiosity.
How then 
would you see
this world?

I joined a really interesting coach training course this week, all about releasing judgment.

I thought it would be a good one for me to do, because sometimes I can be very judgemental. The current political climate does not bring out the best in me!

It is so easy to slip into a judging mind-set, comfortable even. It means I don’t have to think, to put myself into another’s shoes, to feel the discomfort of acknowledging that maybe someone else’s opinions are just as valid as mine. To assume that I know why they say what they say, why they do what they do.

And then there are self-judgment, comparison, self-criticism. For as much as I judge other people I also judge myself, and my work.

Two things really struck me:

Comparison

Instead of comparing myself with others, how about looking back at how I was at a point in the past, or how I would like to be in the future? So instead of looking at the blogger with thousands of followers and feeling discouraged, not good enough, I look back to a year ago when I had less than 10 followers and I realise how far I’ve come. Or I imagine a future where lots of people read my blog and I work out how to get to that point and then take the steps to get there.

Judgment

Instead of thinking I know why something is as it is, I could be open and curious instead.

Ultimately, judging is just part of being human. I can just notice that I am doing it and let it go. Another one of those under the category ‘simple but not easy’!

What do you think? Do you have any tips for releasing judgement?

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Long tailed tits

long+tailed+tits2+portfolio

I hear them before

I see them.

Balls of energy

twitter,

flitter,

and suddenly

the tree is full

of a tumble

of long tailed tits.

 

 

January awakening

Today’s dawn chorus starts with a tawny owl.

Soft hooting drifts through the

7am darkness.

The shrillness of my alarm clock

is so ugly by comparison.

Goldcrest

goldcrest.jpg

Glimpse of movement

overhead, a tiny bird almost

lost among branches

drops downwards,

capped fire-streak searching

restlessly for insects

expertly probing the bark then

stopping briefly to show

the world its beauty.

 

 

New for 2019, I’ve decided to start sharing my art here along with my poems.  I paint wildlife (mainly birds) on silk.  I’ve set myself the challenge to write a poem to go with each of my paintings, starting with this goldcrest that I painted last year.  I thought I’d try an acrostic poem, I’ve not written one of those since I was at school 30 years ago!  Hope you enjoy it & wishing you all the best for 2019.