PItcher of Moon, available from Createspace, Amazon.com
Paperback: http://goo.gl/RzFRj4
Kindle e-book: http://goo.gl/cOh8Ww
Every so often, I get challenged by someone as to my religion. To me, religious or spiritual beliefs are personal, and I am not one to sally forth and try to convince anyone to believe as I do. Of course, this has led to much shunning and ridicule in my birth family. But they are extreme fundamentalists, and there is a heavy ‘hate’ issue (which is really fear) in their beliefs. I hope all these years I have lived have allowed me a more tolerant and broader picture of spiritual issues. I don’t go for dogma, whether it is clothed in liberal trappings, nor do I want to sit on a hard bench, or mumble prayers in devotion to some strange, dead prophet. But still….there is a pull towards gratitude. Sitting outside and watching the twist of huge oaks and pecans, the passing of clouds and all the bounty of nature pulls me into a profound gratitude for life.
Lady Nyo
“Original Blessing”
.
I am dizzy with love,
Standing in the rain,
This cosmic blessing
Pouring on my head,
Mingling with tears of gratitude
Til one stream
can not be deciphered
From the other.
.
I am an Original Blessing,
As are you,
And we are not born in sin,
But brought into the light of life
In great joy and anticipation.
.
Our first bellows are not of pain
But surprise at the roominess of the Cosmos,
As we kick feet, flail arms
And finally open eyes at the glorious colors
Of Nature.
.
Original sin would have us
Born rotten,
A theological monkey on our back–
But I know no God of the Cosmos
Who would scar these tiny blessings
With such a heavy burden.
.
Original Blessing is a deliverance,
A deliverance of hope, trust and pride
A heritage where we can discern and save
Ourselves,
Walk in harmony with the Earth,
Stride with God across the span of life–
For this Earth is our cradle,
And all in it our kin.
.
For a truly wise person
Kneels at the feet of all creatures
And is not afraid to endure
The mockery of others.
.
And when the day sidles up to night
I will settle into the nest of the Earth,
Draw the dark blanket of the Cosmos
Across me,
Pillow my head upon stars
And know the blessings I have been
Graced with today and always
Have come from the womb of the Universe.
.
Jane Kohut-Bartels
Copyrighted, 2012
Published in “Pitcher of Moon”, Createspace, Amazon.com, 2014
Tags: "Pitcher of Moon", Amazon.com, Createspace, dversepoets.com, Gratitude, intolerant and hateful religions, Nature, Original Blessing, Original Blessing vs. Original Sin, origins in the Universe, poetry
Lady Nyo's Weblog 
May 16, 2014 at 12:14 am
Thank you, Jane. Your words are very soothing and comforting for me today. I had to go outside and work in the garden for a few hours to restore my soul, putting life into perspective.
I have pondered the idea that children are born in sin. That they must have love beaten into them. It doesn’t make much sense, does it? Unless we consider self-loathing and projection: the child wears the shadow of the mother. I won’t get too deep into the topic on your blog because it’s such a heavy topic and I felt uplifted by your poem today.
This was so beautiful, reminding me of the goddess Nut:
“And when the day sidles up to night
I will settle into the nest of the Earth,
Draw the dark blanket of the Cosmos
Across me,
Pillow my head upon stars
And know the blessings I have been
Graced with today and always
Have come from the womb of the Universe.”
Love
CZ
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May 16, 2014 at 12:28 am
Ahhhh. at a stroke of something, I again lost my comment! But!~ We both need the power to restore our souls….what we write about and have lived through takes its pound of flesh. I wish we didn’t have to ‘know’ these things.
Nah….children aren’t born in sin…it’s the fall/redemption folk that believe that. And that has been the core of my struggle with the foos forever. Beating a child only makes the child resentful and full of hatred. This damn Nazi-obedience crap …and I did it to my son, too. I wish I had known better. Check out Matthew Fox’s ORIGINAL BLESSING….sublime book….and was the generator for me on so many things. I doubted too much until I read this amazing priest.
OH! funny that you mention the Goddess Nut…..I wrote a poem about her a few years ago, and I will next post it. LOL! You are one of the few that know about her I have come across.
Blessings on your heart, dear loving and wise friend.
Love, jane
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May 16, 2014 at 1:35 pm
I dearly love this poem. It’s so powerful, and genuine. And true.
Poetry is nothing if it doesn’t convey something absolutely true (not relatively), IMHO. Yours always carry something real. Of course children aren’t born “into sin.” What a hideous and angry and awful basis for religion. Gah! love you, CS
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May 16, 2014 at 2:52 pm
And I love you!
I don’t know what poetry is supposed to be about, but we have to strive for something of truth…even if it is wrapped in a microcosm. it’s something that keeps me wondering…
Yep….hideous and angry defines any religion that demeans children. This fall/redemption line is the basis of all darkness and cruelty I believe….how can you see something as innocent and such a ‘blank slate’ as a child…a baby….and call it a sinner? That should divide humankind immediately, and does.
Take this weekend, dear loving friend….and do something outside in the realm of Nature. Sit in the sun, roll in the grass (how’s it going, the new landscape in the back???) with your dogs. I think this especially important right now because the dark and deep discussions we have been collectively having amongst ACONs need some light. Like CZ mentioned, we need to gain some perspective. Life can be overwhelming, and we all are dealing in heavy subjects. I think this general discussion on sadism has all impacted us heavily.
Thinking of my dear and wise friend.
Love,
Jane
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