Poems

Presence

Yellow lichen on a branch

#MonthOfMinistry Day 9 Presence – the still place where we experience being fully here, in the world, in the present moment, and remember that we’re all interconnected in a deep way. The place where, as John O’Donohue puts it, we “experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder”. There are … Read more

Easter Day 1938

Apricot tree in spring bloom

Another powerful song that feels fitting for the times. This is Bertolt Brecht’s “Easter Day” set to music by Hans Eisler. Brecht wrote this in 1938 on a small island in Denmark, having fled Germany after Hitler came to power. This is the version sung by Robyn Archer (I’m not sure who made this translation): … Read more

Noctiluca scintillans

Noctiluca scintillans

Fire in the dark, sparks fly up.
Kai! Kai! – Eat! Eat!
Handfuls of rice, an offering to the Protector spirits of this place.

Tiny luminous dinoflagellates, doing what they must do.