These are linked poems created week by week for a year, inspired by the book No Choice But To Follow, and the poets therein who did it first.

Saturday 27 December 2014

December #4

You Should So Ask For Help ...

You should so ask for help
that a wind will rise from the stones
and swirl around you, buoyant:
a soft cloak, a raft of air,
a sweet in-rush of breath.

You should so ask for help
that rain will fall gently, washing
all debris away from your path,
so you walk forth unobstructed
raising your face to be bathed.

You should so ask for help
that the grasses will ripple before you
like waves of an earth ocean,
as they flatten to ease your steps
and spring back straight behind.

You should so ask for help
that the sun and all the stars
brighten and flare at your call,
and people around you suddenly smile 
as you yourself are warmed.

First you must ask for help
to ask in such a way — must ask
for the long slow gifts 
of trust and patience,
humility, strength, integrity.

Or find the quicker way:
pray to be an instrument
of Love, Peace and Truth. 
Create with these a vision so large 
that all you are and do is in its service.

Whether you sleep or wake,
speak or be silent, scratch an itch,
make love, argue, go shopping ...
the vision is more than you; it holds you,
contains and fills you — that one!

Be prepared for your vision to take
if need be, lifetimes, and leagues of angels.
Seek to enrol the whole world
on to your team. Ask for help....
Take heart. You should so ask.

— Rosemary Nissen-Wade

5 comments:

  1. This is to both you and MIchele: what an incredible way to finish our year of following! Well done!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fantastic renga! What a wonderful poem to end the year one.

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Aha! What an imagery. Despite the help we obtain, we destroy them.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated and will be visible after approval from blog owner.