[1394] Even If You Grab A Piece of Time

Guest poem sent in by Pavithra Krishnan <pavikaye@>

Conjure something glowing
Take this day
You were born with hands for spinning
Talent for dreams and making them real

Roll the hours like yarn
Spin something that makes you feel full
And big and open to talk

Make this day your own square
In your own life quilt
So shining it brighten the whole of your years
This far
Make this day like one of God's seven.

 	-- Ruth Forman

A friend met this poet at a conference and bought one of her books. "You'll
like her," he said, and I opened the slim volume feeling predictable and
curious. Had never heard of Forman before but some of her poetry felt like
an old, old friend. I like this poet even at the cost of being predictable.
She shines real with love and human-ness. This one was my favorite, it's one
of those poems that picks you up if you're down and shakes you firmly and
enchantingly out of your own excuses for not carpe-ing the diem.  "Conjure
something glowing" An irresistible invitation into this poem, this day, this
life...

Lilies-of-the-field no toil, no spin. Un-aspiring and splendid...and what of
us? Blessed with a beauty beyond lilies we work and dream - or Can. A loving
urgency in this poem pointing us to the potential within not just the hours
but ourselves. Homespun imagery makes her words comfortable, familiar -
themselves a handmade quilt thrown across the page warm and deep and
spirit-lifting (quilts are wonderful things. poems can be too.) Pick up the
colored 'shreds and patches' of your life, and stitch the mystery and the
mundanity into something meaningful and alive. When she puts it like that
how do you decline? It's hard if not impossible.  "Make this day like one of
God's seven."

An order, a dare, a mantra ...an inspiration.  And now if you'll excuse me
I'm going to go carpe what's left of the diem.

Pavi

Biography:
  http://www.bickley.com/authors.html

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From: Deepak Srinivasan <dsrinivasan2000@>

its funny, that on a night when i just listened to pink floyd's "hey you" and then this poem juxtaposed. the emotions they each conjure (sorry for stealing) are like oil and water and the pessimist in me says that the oil of "hey you" will drop like a thud while the lightness of "....a piece of time" will vanish so ethereally. in any case. a beautiful poem matched by equally wonderful commentary. "caper on a dime" on. thanks much.
/Deepak





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From: Deepak Srinivasan <dsrinivasan2000@>

its funny, that on a night when i just listened to pink floyd's "hey
you" and then this poem juxtaposed. the emotions they each conjure
(sorry for stealing) are like oil and water and the pessimist in me says
that the oil of "hey you" will drop like a thud while the lightness of
"....a piece of time" will vanish so ethereally. in any case. a
beautiful poem matched by equally wonderful commentary. "caper on a
dime" on. thanks much.

/Deepak

From: "Beverly Sullivan" <bevsullivan@>

I just attended a poetry reading by Ruth Forman and loved listening to
her read her works. She has a rhythm that captivates your soul....I can
still hear her voice in my head....I look forward to her continued work.

Bev Sullivan