A Monday poem: “Raw”
Happy New Moon! It “fell into the Sun” at 1:33 pm EDT. I am ready for new, something fresh, a new beginning!
I began to think about this poem as I was grieving the loss of a dear friend a few weeks ago. My feelings were raw and I wanted to express them. But they had to simmer, to cook for a bit before I could write this down. And then other titles kept coming up. My thoughts turned into a trilogy; I’ll be publishing them this week, today, Wednesday and Friday. The first is:
Raw
Dough—cookie, bread, Mom’s baking;
Snitch, pinch, tasting, testing;
So delicious—raw. Then add the
Heat, alchemy in the oven. Baked.
Meat—beef, pork, lamb, I’m roasting, grilling;
Blood dripping—raw. Then fire, wood smoking,
Fat sizzling. Aromas arouse olfactory senses:
Gustatory delights cooked, offered.
Feelings—grief, anger, fear—these are raw.
Old age, sickness and death never ending;
Samsara cooks us, yet leaves us undone,
Half-baked, simmering, salty, sour, bitter.
Power—force, control, seizing freedoms,
Unleashing aggression, anger, instilling fear;
Raw emotions open hostility in the Human
Heart—half-baked understanding selves.
Wisdom—presence, open mind dawning,
Leading to a deepening understanding,
Transmuting the raw to a fully baked
Human to rise from the fire into Light.
©2020 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
Beautiful. I loved the way this poem unfolds, like humans in a hero’s journey.
Sent from my iPad
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Richard – Awesome. Thank you. I have been dealing with the aftermath of the transition or birth into Spirit last Monday of a former loved one, an ex of sorts. I was with him for 8 years, 12 years ago. I helped his sons, family, and friends put together a Celebration of Life service on Zoom on Saturday. It worked me at so many levels. Still working me on many levels.
And I know so many are dealing with this type of rawness you describe so well in your poem. I love being on this journey of life with you. You teach me so much. Yes, Rosemary is my mentor and coach as well as friend. But you are her supporter, lover, husband, and so much more. And you have always been a teacher as well as friend to me.
I hope you will find additional ways to get your poetry out there. It is needed.
I have a few other emails to write you on very different topics, but I just needed to respond to yours in this one.
Much love,
Lilia