Sacred partnering
something that I have done for quite a while
off and on.
Tim Daiey walked by the woods with Nona, his loyal white guide dog.
Her stiff white hairs gentle to the touch.
moving her head swiftly side to side.
being graceful as she guided Tim through the world
being his eyes and feet for the world.
Having known them for only a brief three years at Fairfield U.
Having explored worlds of history, sociology and religion together.
with his fingers finding the tape recorder buttons,
gently finding each one.
Listening to him sing songs to God while on campus for others to hear.
to hear him cheer and root for his St. Louis Cardinals.
To then have Tim be escorted to the side of Jesus in Heaven,
hearing it while waiting for a winter retreat.
being taken in his prime
yet an example of a sacred partner to teach and learn from.
Being one of two special blind men that I met and learned from at University.
The sacred partner of gaining a christian brother, Gary
watching him grow through two full decades and now onto a third.
to see Gary grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus.
Lacking the keen intellect of a scholar but having the child=like heart of a follower of Christ.
Travel man having a thirst for travel through the world= to Hawaii, Nashville, Italy and Cancun.
Gary who hugs and calls and cares for his friends.
who reaches out and pats me on the arm and says, "I love you , brother."
being crowned through God's sense of humor,
coming from two distinct paths, yet united by the same last name.
Prompted from the loving benediction from Pastor Dave
being called into family and being affirmed by God's love brought up close.
Thanksgiving Thursday - Beautiful Gifts
7 years ago
1 comment:
My reaction to this one is mixed. The most poetic part of it is the portrait of Tim, the specifics about his dog, his studies, his interest in the Cardinals. I think a poem that just conveys his essence as a person could be very strong. To me, the descriptions about sacred partnering are still very much like prose. They seem to be better suited to an informative essay about what sacred partnering is. The poems that make the biggest impression on me present sensory details for the reader to experience as though he was feeling them too . . . and just as in life, the reader then has to sort out the theme or lesson. By leaving out explanations, the writer leaves the reader free to figure out what the poem means to him (or her). Here's a perfect example. I didn't intend my poem "Pigeon" to be about Jesus, but because I didn't explain what the metaphor meant to me, you were able to create that interpretation for yourself. And that's perfectly appropriate.
Poems are like icebergs. Much of the meaning is below the surface and has to be inferred.
I hope you don't mind my giving such a detailed response. I know that you want to learn, and this is what I'd say if you were in my writer's group.
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