“And the pool was filled with water out of sunlight,
And the lotos rose, quietly, quietly”
Eliot wrote of of it
spoke those immortal lines
pinpoint of immortality in a stationary dot*
perhaps in prayer he’d found the spot
where all our earthly spinning stopped
– Aaahmen
where the feverish forest was quelled
the jungle suddenly unjangled
– OM
there’s neither bone nor flesh in the word now
syllable aethereal, astral-planed
certainly absurd to mind matter
observed by the third eye peering through
a furrowed brow, and just then when the lotus rises
just as the petals part the bud
a voice in the wilderness marks the remarkable
the monkey chatters comfortably again
and we drown
Note: Opening inspiration from T.S.Eliot’s “Burnt Norton” and referencing* those immortal lines: “at the still point of the turning world”
Last line purloined from Eliot’s Prufrock – no other would do!
Written for Lynda’s Poetics prompt: Purifying the Mind
PoetryPix 
Laura- My favorite line is ‘observed by the third eye peering through a furrowed brow’, for if one’s third eye were open, why the furrow? I love it! And, of course the ending. Thank you for joining in!
little chance my third eye can see much as my brow shows I’m a thinker – feel the energy there trying to get out 😉 thanks for the prompt and my chance to evoke Eliot
Absolutely! I truly enjoyed your response.
“the jungle suddenly unjangled”
This line jingles 🙂
❤
the sacred space:
– Aaahmen
where the feverish forest was quelled
the jungle suddenly unjangled
– OM
love your word borders and the nothingness within them
very nice comment – thank you
You’re welcome, Laura.
Interesting perspective and it makes sense: “there’s neither bone nor flesh in the word now”
not since the ascension!
Evoking Eliot, yes, and Bukowski, Ginsberg, Cohen, and Neruda–letting their words and visions guide us through the morass and darkness.
not Ginsberg for me – though I put not my trust in mankind ultimately
All consuming peacefulness is a good thing.
indeed
Prayer is not connected to religion but to a state of mind, a space in which to find peace, which is expressed so beautifully in your lines:
‘…in prayer he’d found the spot
where all our earthly spinning stopped’.
I love the sounds in the phrase ‘the jungle suddenly unjangled’ and in the final lines – a reminder that peace is precious.
I think Eliot did find it in his religion and I believe prayer is connected to faith – each religious practice is just a variety of that -and it is the faith that there is something much greater than our egoic worldviews which causes us so much suffering – of which we are a part – and it is that which gives us precious peace or ‘the peace that passeth all understanding”. Needless to say I do not practice what I preach as often as I really should 😉
Oh, my monkey mind. This is a great dissection of meditation/mindfulness and the barriers to being, the call to doing. It’s easy to forget the Western, Christian tradition of contemplation, this was an interesting reminder.
East and west all seeking peace of mind – thanks Sarah
I so admire this part and moment of reflection:
observed by the third eye peering through
a furrowed brow, and just then when the lotus rises
just as the petals part the bud
a voice in the wilderness marks the remarkable
Ah thank you Grace – inspired by experience!
I’ve always loved the line: I have measured out my life with coffee spoons. So perfectly said.
Indeed