UPON YOUR FLAMES by Salyna Gracie

There are moments when the power of collective prayer brings even the heaviest heart into grace…

The earth, in all her beauty, and all her suffering brings us together beautifully for healing. When the moon is dark and we fear we have no hope left, this is when we must gather to bring back the light.

Artistic collage: "Upon Your Flames" by Salyna Gracie

Upon Your Flames

The dark night

Concedes to hold

This prayer

But, only for her

Salt and sea

And fire

Singing light

Rhythms of peace

Lovers circle

In gestures of healing

Dancing remembrance

With long-forgotten tongues of love

I want to give you my heart!

Or my blood

Casting my drum upon your flames

A sacrifice for indifference

Mine and yours

To watch it burn

Photography by Yuko Ishii

Salyna Gracie is the director of Red Lotus Dance Company. She performs and teaches Middle Eastern Dance and facilitates the Red Lotus SEEDs program which mentors teen girls through dance at her studio in a small rural town in Washington state. Salyna’s dancing reflects a commitment to personal growth by internalizing rhythms and expressing emotion through the body – dancing from the heart. Poetry and visual art continue the conversation of dance with words and images that dance on the page. You may contact her through her website here and her artwork 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!~

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