Poetry Blog No 123 Trees

                                       TREES

       This poem offers an imagination of a particular metaphysical point of view. It was originally inspired by a diagram from the English philosopher and doctor Robert Fludd.

         Robert Fludd, also known as Robertus de Fluctibus (17 January 1574 – 8 September 1637), was a prominent English Paracelsian physician. He is remembered as an astrologer, mathematician, cosmologist, Qabalist and Rosicrucian apologist. Fludd is best known for his compilations in occult philosophy. He had a celebrated exchange of views with Johannes Kepler concerning the scientific and hermetic approaches to knowledge. From Wikipedia

           The poem is not intended as a dogmatic interpretation of the venerable Kabbalistic diagram known as "The Tree of Life". Rather it is intended as a comment on the idea that perhaps the prevalent "reductionist" philosophy, namely that the "higher" comes from the "lower" (for example, that consciousness is a a result of physical reactions in the brain) may not represent the whole of reality. Throughout history, for instance, many have had an intuitive perception that the manifest comes from the unmanifest- that the world of the senses is an out-flowing of another realm. 

 

 Trees - Mark Scrivener

 Robert Fludd

Tree of Life - Robert Fludd

                                         TREES

The forest tree unfolds from earth,

and from the darkness has its birth;

and lifts its shimmering, green leaves

to rustle in the air's soft breeze,

and seeks with branching strength to rise

up towards the vastness of the skies:

the day-blue heaven and

the wide star-sky of night-

through living's power it stands

and seeks to rise up towards the light.

The tree of life unfolds from heaven

and from the Light descends to living;

and spreads the leaves of deeds upon

the earthly pathways of the sun;

and seeks fulfillment of its flourishing

within each aspect of the human journeying-

and has its roots forever in the Light...

there deep and deeply founded in

All-Being's timeless Might.

Mark Scrivener Poetry Blog 110 The Great White Bird and In Dawn I Stand

THE GREAT WHITE BIRD and IN DAWN I STAND

Each new day is in the present but it points to the future- hence in the present there is freedom of choice- not infinite freedom but nevertheless freedom within the necessary form of circumstance. Thus the great white bird may be seen as a symbol of awakening awareness and the new day of the hope born of freedom.

THE GREAT WHITE BIRD

The great white bird flies from the night,

The great white bird with wings of light,

With wings spread on the eastern sky.

Its fire feathers sweep on high

And night's last stars are brushed away.

The great white bird cries: Born is day!

And all the birds that live on earth

Call back The day has come to birth.

The great white bird cries: Day is born!

The great white bird is called the Dawn.

            IN DAWN I STAND

In dawn I stand, take light's first power,

refreshed by new-unfolding day.

Day-colour seems a wonder now;

the dark of night is swept away.

Yet through soft night life’s forces flowed

to mind and limbs, a secret glow...

as through the darkness and the deep,

strange kingdom of the dream, dear sleep

in sea of slumber washed away

my weary, worn-out yesterday.

And so I stand, in new and mind-bright hour,

as this new morning shines,

renewed-

as new as these new lines

I've written now,

as new as time's new way

I've never seen;

as new as this new day...

that's never been.

Mark Scrivener Poetry Blog No 108 Gift

GIFT

A piece like this is not a poem, perhaps, in the usual sense or, to put it another way, it is intended to be part of a genre that could be called "a contemplation" or even "a mantra". It is fairly tricky to avoid descending into complete cliché when trying to do this- whether I succeeded here is up to each reader to decide. More than in most forms, in fact, this is only as useful as each person finds it. It is, perhaps, worth reflecting that the best gift we can give is not material but lies in developing more love, wisdom and awareness within us.

photo Mark Scrivener




 

GIFT

Warmed is the earth,

warmed are the waters,

warmed is the wind,

in the sphere of the sun's

warmth-bestowing world glow.

Warmed is the seed.

Illumined is the crystal,

illumined are the waves,

illumined is the vast sky,

in the rays of the sun's

world-awakening shine.

Illumined is the eye.

Sun of the heart

may the love and the life

shine from our being.

Warmed be the deed.

Illumined the I.

Mark Scrivener Poetry Blog No 99 Seascape

SEASCAPE

Lyric poetry tends to contain an element of feeling in it. However, the feeling doesn't necessarily have to be stated, rather it can be the aim of the poet to arouse that feeling in the imagination of the reader or hearer. This is often achieved by the weaving together of meaning, sound, form and image. Feelings can also be related to experience and perception, not necessarily just personal emotions or passions (although many great poems deal with them). This poem tries to evoke feelings related to gazing into the hazy light on the ocean horizon.

SEASCAPE

Deep is the blue below

the far edge of the eastward sky.

Light is the blue above

the far edge of the eastward ocean.

White is fast fall of foam in sun.

White are slow-rising clouds above.

Far out on the swell

board-riders drift;

floating, sitting on the sea.

And above them there,

white upon the wide,

transparent ocean of the air,

seagulls glide,

ride with wings upon wide wind.

And beyond

their paths of flight,

and beyond

sun-dazzled sight,

on wings of clear awareness,

do vast angels ride

the unseen ocean of the Light?