THE ONLY WAY I KNOW TO LOVE THE WORLD
It is not just a cup of coffee
but the warm hum of hello,
an invitation to wake, to sip,
to say thank you
for another chance to dance
with another new day.
It's not just a ceramic mug,
but the one she
shaped with her own 16-year-old hands, for me. For me.
It is not just one heart held open to another, or a kiss blown in the mirror,
not just the soft circle of smile,
but a nod of—I see you. You are not alone.
Not just life. But your life. Your very temporary life.
It isn't just the earth you stand on but the giver of every single thing, a
reason
to get down on humbled, human knees and say thank you thank you thank you.
It is not just another moment but a door flung open, a flooded-with-light
entrance to every real thing
not just a poem but a prayer whispered from one listening ear to another. The
only way I know to love the world.
©Julia Fehrenbacher
www.juliafehrenbacher.com
Hello friends.
I was very taken with this poem, and thought it might
make an interesting jumping-off point for a prompt. I am a tea drinker, so I
substituted the beverage. Smiles. This poem is such a good example of how the
simplest thing can inspire us to think bigger: from a cup of tea or
coffee to loving the whole world. I love the gratitude.
The Baleek china in the photo reminds me of my Grandma's tea parties, and her Baleek tea service which reflected her Irish roots. (The ladies arrived in hats and gloves and sat at card tables set up for bridge in the cottage's tiny front room. Dresses, of course; my grandma never wore pants in her life, other than when she was riding her horse. Astride, very avant garde, at the turn of the century.)
This week, as always, write whatever comes to you from
the prompt or the poem. Repeating a line or phrase is one cool way to make a poem
cohesive.
It’s not the way…
It’s not just…
It’s not this, it’s not that……..
It is sort of a call and response that works really well in the example poem. But you might prefer to just write whatever comes to you from reading the poem, and that’s fine too. (I am also thinking of the phrase "not my cup of tea," which can apply to just about everything that is happening globally at the moment, and could head you in an entirely different direction. You need not use the cliche, just the idea, if you wish.)
So, fellow poets, let’s get busy! Link your poem, and visit your fellow linkers. I’m looking forward to reading each poem the way I sip my cup of tea – with appreciation. Smiles.
Good morning, poet friends! I hope all is well where you are. I am at my sister's farm, and we had an unexpected snowfall. I will be travelling home midday, and will catch up with later posts when i get home. I hope this prompt speaks to you in some way. The scope is wide, and I look forward to your responses.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interesting prompt, Sherry! I used to be a coffee drinker, but now I drink MOSTLY herbal tea.....so I found this to be a fun prompt to write to! Safe travels home.
ReplyDeleteI mostly drink tea too. We are heading home in half an hour, will be home by noon. Roads are supposed to be wet but okay.
DeleteThank you for the invitation to tea - safe journey Jae
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jae. I enjoyed your tea party!
DeleteThis is such a beautiful prompt Sherry! It gave me enough chance to invite a bird into my lines. Thank you and safe journey.
ReplyDeleteI always love a poem with a bird in it and yours is beautiful...a moment of stillness.
DeleteLoved the prompt...Thanks Sherry !...Rall
ReplyDeleteI loved reading about your grandpa. Made me remember mine.
DeleteOh goodness, I hate tea. I'll try to find a way in, though.
ReplyDeleteThe scope is wide, and you can use coffee, too. Smiles. Or whatever speaks to you.
DeleteI am safely home. The roads were wet, heavy rain in the mountain pass. So good to be home!
ReplyDelete🤍 lovely
ReplyDeleteThanks for your poem, Sandi!
DeleteThank you for the prompt - I have completely lost the plot and i could not get anything from tea or coffee - so i went for a call and response - I think it works - but it might just be me !!
ReplyDeleteI loved your call and response, Alan. Thank you. I try to leave openings in the prompt for people to take another direction.......the sample poem did that, going from a small to a global perspective. Loved your poem!
DeleteWhat lovely poems this week, poet friends. This weekly sharing of voices and perspectives is the highlight of my week. Thank you. It is snowing hard here - very pretty out the window, but unusual to have serious snow in Tofino.
ReplyDeleteSherry,
ReplyDeleteyour prompt subject was perfect for my circumstances this week. I had been away on a short break with my daughter to sunshine warmth and returned home to snowy weather. Tea was most prominent in my mind!
I'll visit the poems linked by everyone else...
It's lovely of you to take the time, when you have just arrived home, Eileen. It is snowing here too - it has been snowing almost all day. Most unusual. Pretty, but good indoor weather. Smiles.
DeleteBetter late than never! Thanks, Sherry, for a great prompt. Rock on, poets! Amy
ReplyDeleteAmy, lovely to see you! Yay!
ReplyDeleteThank yo so much Sherry for the inspiration. So far I am the late one to the prompt.
ReplyDeleteWe are so pleased you stopped by, Susie. I hope some people will come check on later linkers. Your poem is a BEAUTY!!
ReplyDeleteI am so thrilled by all of the poems submitted this week. Like you, Sherry, I hope early posters will come back and visit the later linkers because they are ALL so worth reading!!
ReplyDeleteThank you to everyone who has visited my poem. I very much appreciate your time and comments.
ReplyDeleteThis prompt has brought very rewarding results.
Already looking forward to next week's opportunity:)
Next week will be amazing, Eileen. Mary has something very cool lined up for us!
Delete