Sestina: Soul Circle

For Catherine Ann Cullen

a black and white whippet in a winter jacket in the forest

A generous poet brings us a gift
of prompts and words and musings.
Raven nest with eyes that see
a circle of souls who share their quest
to nurture the earth and keep her wild,
when Imbolc gives rise to new voices.

Ideas that float can find a voice,
the shrine is lined with gifts.
In Heritage Week thistles in the wild
breathe with butterflies, amused
by truths in prickly questions
fallen from a paradise Dante could see.

The stepping stones we climb to see
eavesdrop on oceans’ voices.
They encourage a parallel quest
to both receive and share each gift
pulled from a hat by the muses
and marbled deep waters of the wild.

Autumn glitters in the wild.
The scattered leaves we see
by the gate are gathered by a muse.
The wind whistles through her voice.
There appears to be no limit of gifts
carving the path of this quest.

A blinding light eggs on our quest
and barbed beginnings in rewilding.
The saplings of poems are also a gift
that follows the moon and sees
a healthy world laced with voices
as ageless as that of our muse.

Thin ice and forbidding shallows spark the muse.
Our pockets are lined with questions
on love and nature’s survival. The voice
of the wind is a friend in the wild,
old pains are soothed by the sea,
each cushion of moss is a gift.

On an epitaph for the wild we can see we tried
guided by spirit and muses. Their voices remain
a sacred gift that shapes our soul circle’s quest.

© Xenia Tran

Catherine Ann Cullen, Poet in Residence at Poetry Ireland, has been hosting a weekly Poetry Prompt on twitter throughout the pandemic and inspired forty three new poems I would otherwise never have written.

As her residency is drawing to a close I have attempted to incorporate all the prompt words I responded to with individual poems in the above Sestina.

Wishing you all a happy Monday and a wonderful new week,

with love from Eivor, Pearl and Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

PI Poetry Prompt: Gift

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #179: Serene




Author: whippetwisdom

The stories, poems and photographs on this blog are the original creative work of Xenia Tran. Inspired by life in the Scottish Highlands and in awe of nature she gives voice to the wisdom of her adopted and fostered whippets.

25 thoughts on “Sestina: Soul Circle”

  4. “The voice
    of the wind is a friend in the wild,
    old pains are soothed by the sea,
    each cushion of moss is a gift…”

    Beautiful words. Such a calming balm for troubled times. Thank you, Xenia, for sharing your love of nature with us. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  7. Indeed Dear Xenia Every
    Poetry Breath of Yours
    Is A Poetry Prompt For

    me Through All These

    Years And No Finer Muse
    to me Than the Shortest Rainy
    Cold Day of the Year So far Here…

    Winter Solstice GLoWinG NoW

    As The UPS Man Said Where Are
    Your Long Pants When it is 48 Degrees
    F Dancing Around The Block Hehe Yet

    It’s True Dance
    And Song Knows

    No Seasons Now
    And Weathers Other

    Than Dancing Singing
    Springing Within Year ‘Round
    Warming me Up Enough Where i
    Haven’t Worn Long Pants Since the
    Winter of 2013 So Long Ago So Long Ago

    Haha

    With

    Covered

    Legs Then
    Still Flying
    NoW As Feathers
    And Dust Floats Wind Bare…
    Hehe Or Bear Depending on Who One Asks…

    Merry Christmas Happy New Year Always Now to You All
    For Play As True #Play2022 is Already my Resolution in Play..:)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Fred and here’s to many more happy years of singing and dancing!🕺🎶 Thank you for all your poetry too and we wish you and Katrina a blessed Winter Solstice, a wonderful Christmas 🎄 and a fabulous New Year 🤗🧡🍀

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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