Playing with Poetry Workshop with Beth Jacobs, PhD
On March 1st, Beth Jacobs offered an inspiring Playing with Poetry online workshop in our IAJW journaling community.
One of the activities in this workshop involved reading the SPECIAL PLATES poem by Rumi.
The invitation after that, was to write our own poem inspired by the rhythm and some of the starting lines from Rumi’s powerful poem.
Below you can find the original poem, and the playing with poetry writing I did in the pages of my journal within this creative workshop.
A future Playing with Poetry workshop with Beth is coming Fall 2025, I hope YOU will join us.
SPECIAL PLATES
Notice how each particle moves.
Notice how everyone has just arrived here from a journey.
Notice how each wants a different food.
Notice how the stars vanish as the sun comes up.
and how all streams stream toward the ocean.
Look at the chefs preparing special plates for everyone
according to what they need.
Look at this cup that can hold the ocean.
Look at those who see the face.
Look through Shams’ eyes into the water
that is entirely jewels.
by, Rumi
SPECIAL WINGS
by Lynda Monk (inspired by Rumi’s poem – Special Plates)
Notice how you catch the wind.
Notice how you carve the clouds.
Notice how you make others wish they could fly,
higher and higher and higher.
Notice how the planets align
in the arc of your flight.
Look at children making sand castles
on the beach below.
Look at the boat coming into the
harbour with refugees,
needing a safe haven.
Look at humanity from the moon,
your nest above us all.
Forgive us, while we remember
how to soar.
Love us while we get ready
to take flight,
with our wings
stretched wider
than they have ever had to go.
Author: Lynda Monk is the Director of the International Association for Journal. She is passionate about the healing power of journaling and the benefits of writing in a caring, creative community. We are a place where journal writers belong, join us here >>
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