Every Single One Of Us…. Fraiku…..From ‘Emergence’ Magazine….
by Bernie Bell - 09:35 on 11 March 2024
Every Single One Of Us….
A couple of nights ago I had a dream in which someone said to me 'You're nothing special' and I replied 'Oh - but I am - we all are - when we realise it'.
That's what I'm working on now - realising it.
Then, yesterday, Matthew Manning’s thought for the week was…..
“You are a beacon of light in this world, shining brightly with your kind heart and compassionate spirit. Your acts of kindness, no matter how small, have a ripple effect that touches the lives of others in ways you may never fully know. Remember, every smile you share, every hand you lend, every word of encouragement you offer, spreads positivity and love in a world that often feels dark. Embrace the power of your kindness, for it is a gift that keeps on giving, bringing joy and hope to those who cross your path. You are a blessing to us all.
Wishing you a wonderful week …. Matthew “
We all are, when we choose to be – and it is a choice.
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Fraiku…
Pain burns the candle
flames melt the mind at both ends
until it ends…
(For Women's History Month, a haiku inspired by Edna St. Vincent Millay and her most famous poem, First Fig. She was in near constant pain the last several years of her life. This is not the first poem I've written for her.)
https://bartbarkerpoet.com/2024/03/08/fraiku-for-vinny/
This was a bit close to home, and my first response was….
“Too strong, Bart…too strong”
Then – on second thoughts….
“Second thoughts – it can end well – clearing the mind – burning to clarity. Still very strong stuff.”
I’ll remind folk of Bartholomew’s poem about when he encountered Edna St. Vincent Millay………
Labyrinth for Vincent
“Ignore the No Trespassing sign,”
she beckoned from the other side.
“Come with me through the forest.
I’ll read my poetry as we travel
barefoot on the mossy path.”
Side-by-side we walked,
the sun enflamed her hair,
her voice like bird song
on the wind tickling the leaves.
And at the center—
gray and lichened
as a standing stone
felled by time—
her grave.
I asked why she hadn’t read
her famous First Fig
or my favorite Spring.
She just smiled,
kissed my cheek
and faded.
Leaving me
to remember my way
back to living.
https://bartbarkerpoet.com/2022/08/17/the-grave-of-edna-st-vincent-millay/
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From ‘Emergence’ Magazine….
“MORE-THAN-HUMAN perspectives are diminishing. How do we protect what is being lost? How do we extend our attention beyond ourselves? What are the rights for the more-than-human world that should be part of our legal systems? This week we bring you two pieces of work exploring these very questions.”
Najin and Fatu
The Last Two Northern White Rhinos
by Paolo Pellegrin
“I was trying to connect with their inner silence.”
— Paolo Pellegrin
“What is it to be a being whose species’ end is here? Roaming the wilds of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya under 24-hour protection from poachers, Najin and Fatu, mother and daughter, are the last surviving northern white rhinos on Earth. Spending time with these majestic beings, photographer Paolo Pellegrin earned the trust to witness them up close: the textures of their skin, the paces of their movements, the closeness of the bond they share. Through this series of photographs, we’re brought face to face with the impending absence of these creatures, their bodies silhouetted in the day’s fading light.”
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