Skip to main content

FROM A BELOVED FRIEND by Emilie Walker

These are some of my poems for a trip I took to Bolivia in 2013…

It was the first time being back in Bolivia since 2003, so was like a homecoming. In 2013, I had just left the spiritual yogic community I taught meditation with, feeling a pull to be more integrated, listening to my internal guidance and not so defined by organized spirituality. 

It was a time where nothing felt stable and maybe because of this, there was a quality of life that felt more in tune with the mysterious. Even though I had been away from Bolivia for ten years, returning felt like coming home, on a soul level. The first poem is written about my friend Dorian, who was my host brother. The second poem is about Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca, a place with ancient, healing energy.

From a Beloved Friend
by Emilie Walker

Bubbles of life playfully call to be remembered as
Faces emerge from memory
Gentle and awake
Brave, friendly, curious, alone
All these images wake up now

Dancing together on this ocean floor
In a comingling of time and space
A delicious remembrance of highs and lows, greens turning brown, pinks
held by the graceful embrace of gold, red reflecting orange while
blues melt into the sweetest of lavender skies

And then he pulls me to now.

Life is about love he says
Thats all.

He looks into my eyes
Drags on a cigarrette
And spills forth
God consciousness, unnassuming and worn down by life, something else
takes over now
Those tattooed arms wrap around
These small shoulders
A juggler turned healer
He turns to me now and with his gypsy soul whispers:
find some way
To express this love
In everything you do
And you'll see life is love
Thats all there is
I've found my way
These children
Are part of me
Now my dear,
Te toca a ti...
It's your turn.


Isla del Sol

You've been here before
whisper the stars

The apus smile...

The water silently agrees.

And I nod, yes, yes...
I imagine that is so.

Ancient stories filter
through starlight.

Circles upon circles of happenings
come and go...

Dissolving into the silent morning.

I keep walking
I breathe....

From this space the sun rises.

It's arms full and welcoming,
saying with a deep, clear voice:

"Come home, my dear, come home."
I sink and watch,
with eyes closed, breath held, heart beating,

As the space inside lights up...
Full, bright,
enveloped by the sun.



Emilie Walker lives with her dog Luna in Athens, Ohio.  She loves to write poetry, create collages and hike in the woods. She offers heart centered meditation workshops with Grateful Heart Meditation, which also offers playshops for teachers, spiritual trips to the Andes and creative gratitude workshops.








~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!~

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

IMAGINE A WOMAN by Patricia Lynn Reilly

  This poem invites you to look upon yourself with loving kindness… Gazing at your own true reflection, you will discover that everything you have longed for “out there” is already within you! I invite you to love your creativity fiercely. Faithfully plant seeds, allowing under-the-ground dormant seasons, nurturing your creative garden with love and gratitude. In the fullness of time, the green growing things thrust forth from the ground. It's a faithful, trustworthy process. AND it takes time and patience.  Blessed is the fruit of your creative womb! I invite you to trust your vision of the world and express it. With wonder and delight, paint a picture, create a dance, write a book, and make up a song. To give expression to your creative impulses is as natural as your breathing. Create in your own language, imagery, and movement. Follow no script. Do not be limited by the customary way things have been expressed. Your creative intuition is original. Ga...

IN THE STILLNESS OF THE NIGHT by Ginny Brannan

 Just take a moment to pause... When life becomes rote, and frustration grows from being immersed in the same routine—different day, sometimes we need to remind ourselves that peace is still there—within our grasp— if we just take a moment to pause and enjoy the stillness and beauty around us. In the Stillness of the Night  by Ginny Brannan Late winter’s eve and all is still the lawn lies bathed in silver light— gray shadows race across the yard and climb atop the windowsill to draw my gaze upon the sight. I stare out to the moonlit night, across the deck and wooded path fresh–painted by new fallen snow. The scene infuses with delight; this gift inside storm’s aftermath. Half–buried now, the old birdbath lies shadowed deep in indigo— it waits on promise of the spring when arctic chill has finally passed and snow gives way to new green grass. With gratitude, I hedge to go; tranquility allays my soul… I turn ...

STILL I RISE by Maya Angelou

Six years ago, I had the privilege of listening to Maya Angelou speak live on the value of poetry at the University of Florida. I share these reflections with you again today, in honor of her birthday.  I was relieved to get one of the last seats available for this rare event, having arrived at five for Maya Angelou ’s free speech at eight. The historically long line began with people settled into beach chairs in winter coats busying themselves on tablets, or eating sandwiches for dinner. As helicopters hovered above and newscasters below, I felt the excitement of realizing that thousands of people were gathering together to hear an eighty four year old black woman recite her poetry! Maya Angelou speaking at University of Florida on Feb. 27, 2013  When the curtain rose -after an overflow of hundreds were sent away- we lucky ones on the inside greeted Maya with a standing ovation, as she smiled sweetly, beginning her talk using metaphors from nature. Maya asked...