There are actually two writers in the household. Today’s prompt came a bit at a slant. I had this idea earlier this year to create a calendar of photos and some quotes from my husband Tony Cuckson’s book Being Beautiful: Learning to Treasure the REAL YOU. With one thing and another, including my laptop becoming a bit poorly, that project was shelved as a Christmas present idea. But the chapter headings did spark the poem. The book advocates certain practices. I wonder if you will be able to identify them all? And yes, there are twelve. Happy hunting through the poem’s text!
Being Beautiful
Being Beautiful is truly an art.
Like all art, it requires some practice.
Breathe it. In. Out. Deep into your belly.
Listen how it vibrates across your skin.
For that, it helps to learn how to sit still.
Not a virtue these days, more act of will.
Unlike breathing. But attentive hearing
is a skill. Be gentle practitioners.
Do not fall into depths of ‘Bad’ or puff
yourself up to heights of ‘Goodness’. However,
thence forward, practice this relaxation
towards others. (We all have a mean streak.
A tendency to hair-trigger justice.)
Let it go! Take your guidance from your soul
to present your intention and to put
purpose patiently into daily practice.
That requires focus, which burns like a flame,
infusing all your body, molecule
by molecule, a helixing Dervish
dancing with a faith in the ultimate
wisdom of surrender to whatever
you discover is divine. Empty out
all notions, but sit ready to receive
a great gift. Breath. Listen. Focus.
Now this is the magical paradox.
The emptiest vessel is full all the way
to overflow. It is the wedding at
Cana, a Celt’s Cauldron Aplenty,
a cornucopia spilling surplus.
Everyone knows such a story. We do!
In all ages and places we know such grace.
Before blinding Beauty, we take a knee.
We kiss the earth and taste its salty base.
If there are tears, they are of happiness,
the joy of thanks, putting grateful into
greatness once again, giving itself for
all received, this Being, this Beautiful.
Being Beautiful is truly an art.
Copyright© Bee Smith 2018
You can buy the book here: Being Beautiful
What a wicked cool way to combine your talents! Awesome prose, and I hope the calendar idea comes to fruition at some point.
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Ah, noce to have the affirmation.
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