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THE KOI POND AT OMEGA INSTITUTE by Mary L. Westcott

 This poem was written while I was attending a meditation/writing retreat at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York…

They have a beautiful meditation center high on a hill on the campus of the Institute. After meditating, I decided to write this poem about the koi ponds outside the center. The poem seemed to write itself, perhaps because of the long meditation I did beforehand.

The Koi Pond at Omega Institute
by Mary L Westcott

The dainty sprinkle on the pond
near the meditation center
reminds me of a brook, a sound
so tiny it doesn’t gurgle, like a minnow’s
splash, a sound close to silence.
The ripples and small waves radiate out
good energy like the happy flap
of a wing. A white lily sits
on the top, an anchoring stone
at the bottom, the stone a solid
thing in contrast to the pinging
of the fountain.

Then across the bridge the quiet
pond, the pond of freedom to be
itself, the stillness at the bottom
like a rock, the wavelet not there,
a possibility, lily pads resting
on the surface, faces to the sky,
bowing silently, some pads cupped
as an offering to the God
of sun and trees and sky,
the flowers in the middle as homage,
the light above peeking through
to brighten the yellow buds.

(Find more of Mary's inspiring poetry in her new book! Just click here.) 
Meditation Pond at OMEGA Institute, Photography by Carmela Curuso


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!~

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