The following meetings will take place each first Saturday of the month at the Shambhala Center in Shelburne Falls, MA
71B Ashfield St
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts 01370
Jan 2
Feb 6
Mar 5
Apr 2
May 7
There is currently room for one or two more individuals. In order to facilitate a meaningful amount of time for each person, we are restricting each group to 6-7 individuals. Please contact Jacqueline at jacqueline.gens@gmail.com or 413-522-1125
Today December 5, 2015 five of us met for discussion and sharing our work.
Here is Barbara Paparazzo's fine poem for the month :
WILD BERRIES
We hear Chapel Falls before we see it
a trail in the woods
then snow water
glacier green
red berries
daggar sharp clarity
mosquito larvae in pool
a dead mouse in 2 inches of water
thinking of the immortal Tufu
escaping the An Lu Shan rebellion
on foot with his family
by river and paths
eating berries
to stay alive
arriving starved, exhausted at the house
of his old friend
they share a few poems
the desperation of the times
how words
come down to us
poems like red berries
to pick and eat
I love this poem for its artful simplicity that creates vivid imagery to arrive at the conclusion that words are sustenance in these desperate times. The reference of Tufu fleeing with his family is particularly poignant given current events.
We discussed a variety of writers including Gary Snyder’s new book - This Present Moment, Frank O’Hara’s "To the Harbormaster”, and John Keats’ Negative Capability. Terry read song lyrics she wrote. Vince read a Haiku like poem from memory. Next month we will focus on Haibun and Haiku. Resources forthcoming.
***
Here's a poem I wrote earlier this morning following a day sorting through old family photos.
THE TELLING
Planetary orbits sundry forces pulverize matter down to the minute particles as centrifugal forces gather all to naught sucked into matrix of unbecoming
Stardust breath
Tonight I sort through old family photos for whom there are no heirs. Me at one, two, three and so on, visits with grandma to the San Diego Zoo, Lake Tahoe, in Malibu. Photos make loving memories but generations heaped up gone now ……..gate gate paragate*…Time slip a moment
All gone into flames into the unknown
As I enter no-name
Once again
December 5, 2015
Early morning
*gone, gone, gone beyond, classic mantra of prajnaparamita
