Thornton Wilder said,
"There's the land of the living and the land of the dead and the bridge
between them is love."
I
wrote this poem after a beautiful weekend of yoga teacher training in September
2012. Following a morning meditation. I was stunned by the contrast between my
traumatic childhood beginning at age 5 with paralytic polio and childhood
sexual, physical and emotional abuse with my amazing life overflowing with
unconditional love, kindness and compassion. This poem is part of a collection,
"Songs of Freedom: Poems From a Healing Odyssey Volume II" which
will be out later this year.
The Bridge
Restlessness filled my
cells
in the dark quiet of
the night
transported to another
time and place
to remember
loneliness
coldness
numbness
a black and white photo
a snapshot
knowing even then I was
separate from the walking dead.
Yet I was separate from
the living
a wandering stranger
wondering
would I ever find my
way
the veil of fog lifted
unveiling the bridge
soft lush green grass
purple wildflowers
vivid colors created by
the hand of Divine Love
unbuckled my brace
quietly stepping out of
my old shoes
my bare feet tickled
my soul happy and free
the bridge to nowhere
I am home.
 |
| 'Romantic Bridge' by Cherry Jim |
Mary McManus poet, blogger, and yogini left her award winning career
as a social worker at the Department of Veterans Affairs in May 2007 to heal
her own life. During the dark night of her soul she began to express herself
through poetry. Her pen became a divining rod for light, love, hope,
possibility, health and wholeness. She began her journey of transformation and
healing which took her to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and, in
2011, to her yoga mat. Mary holds a BS in Public Relations from Boston
University and an MSW from Boston College. In January 2013 she will be a
graduate of South Boston Yoga's 200 hour Body Awakening Teacher Training
Program. Be sure to visit her website here and follow her
inspirational blog here To hear
Mary read selections from “Songs of Freedom:Poems From a Healing Odyssey” visit
her youtube channel here. Mary's books
of poetry are available on Amazon here.
~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~
I really enjoyed the way the second half of the poem contrasts the first: it has a yin-yang, darkness-light kind of feeling to it. And the symbol of the bridge is such a favorite, powerful one. Your discovery that there was a bridge for you to cross just as you were wondering if you'd ever find your way was inspiring to me. The dissipating fog has always been a favorite theme of mine as well. Thank you for sharing, Mary! And I look forward to sharing more of your poems here.
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