ILLUMINATION by Mary L. Westcott

I’m preparing a book on spiritual themes, and thought I’d concentrate on dark versus light…

While on retreat at Omega Institute at Blue Spirit in Nosara, Costa Rica, I noticed the light and dark of the leaves as I was gazing out of the window during a writing session. This led me to the second stanza of the poem below and the notion that light has many different meanings, spiritually and physically. 

The third stanza compares the light of each season and how my preference is the clarity of spring light, as close to heaven as I imagine it to be. Much of my writing is guided by the strong belief in an afterlife that is more real and more perfect than anything we can imagine, and my belief that we can rarely glimpse it here on earth, but that a beautiful sunset, garden, butterfly hints at the possibilities and beauty to be seen in the life beyond.

Illumination

by Mary L. Westcott

I’m attracted to light,

not the dark under

shadow on the leaves,

the ferns hiding

their true fronds,

outshone by brighter ones,

the butterfly obscured by branches,

its blue-grey wings silent,

the bushy tree hidden

by the sparkling sunlight.

I have lurked in the shadows

of my own life,

denied my light,

ignored my gifts. 

Could I just decide

to sparkle like a glistening

leaf, to shine?

Light glares in the summer heat,

dying earlier as winter stomps

its heavy feet. The light in autumn

signals endings, as leaves

drop sadly in the muted light.

Spring brings green shiny light

as if earth approaches heaven

in its clarity. Spring’s light

is the one I choose.

Mary L. Westcott has been writing poetry for more than 25 years. She received an MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University in 2010.In addition, she holds a doctorate from the University of Maryland in Sociology.  She has been published in more than 55 literary journals. She has published 6 books of poetry, including the latest from Balboa Press, called Fluttering on Earth, a poetic memoir with a spiritual message. Click here to see her books. Mary draws inspiration from nature and has begun writing more spiritual poetry in the last few years.. She retired from the National Institutes of Health, and lives in Central Florida with her two rescue cats, Rocky Rio and Didi. You may find out more about Mary on her website here or connect with her on Facebook 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!~