We were warmed by the community of 50 friends who gathered online, December 11th, to celebrate WholeHeart's actual 10th birthday! Like radiant candlelights each of us, we relaxed into the gorgeous poetry of Vermont poet James Crews for just over an hour.
For those who couldn’t attend, your presence was missed. We’ve included a brief recap here, as well as sharing some of the poetry that James featured during the celebration. He invited us to listen to the words with the "eyes of our hearts," from a deeper place within the body.
Opening the celebration with “Hello, Little Sun,” James spoke about the importance of staying open to surprise and letting the words guide him in whatever moment wants to be shared. This piece was captured during a trip with his partner visiting Quebec City. He highlighted how unfamiliar places, experiences, etc. can “free us” each time we step onto uncertain ground:
“Our senses become more alert and open, and we pay greater attention to scenes that might have seemed too ordinary or unremarkable back in our daily lives, simply because they carry the flavor of novelty. We never know where or when delight will strike us, surprising us out of the noise of our minds for a few moments.”
“Hello, Little Sun
On the rusty tin roof of a red barn
in rural Quebec, someone has carved
the words, Bonjour, petit-soleil—
Hello, little sun—and I read them
while passing by as if this message is
meant for me, as if I need reminding
that delight gives off its own brightness
and heat inside the body, like a tiny
star we carry with us wherever we go,
whether driving home under the soft,
blue dome of the northern sky, or standing
in line at a market in the city center,
an old man counting out coins to pay
for his cup of black coffee on the counter,
then saying goodbye to the cashier
in such slow and careful French,
I can feel the warmth of every word.
”
James shared about his childhood practice of hanging up specific poems on his walls to befriend and memorize them, looking at them each night as they “lived in my heart.” Emily Dickinson’s There’s a certain Slant of light was one such poem, and he recited it from memory!
As WholeHeart is devoted to cultivating listening - listening to one’s inner ways of knowing and the inner wisdom of others beyond just human kin, it seemed only appropriate to highlight James’ poem “How to Listen” and invite participants to explore their own experiences of listening or being listened to (with reflection prompts below):
“How to Listen
Listening is a form of worship,
but you don’t have to kneel
on the floor with folded hands
or mouth the perfect prayer.
Just open the door of yourself
to another, become the space
they step through to show you
who they are. This is holiness:
two people seated together
on the pew of a park bench,
at the altar of a kitchen table.
Even if no one says a word
for a while, receive the silence
until it’s like a new language
only the two of you can speak.”
Where have you felt most listened to in the midst of loss or your own despair for the world?
Describe a specific time when you connected deeply with another, and listening became its own form of worship.
Is there a line, word or image that is speaking to you? What does it want you to know?
As for the kindness theme that runs through much of James’ poetry, including his recent book of essays, Kindness Will Save the World: Stories of Compassion and Connection, he was asked about what he is learning about kindness currently in a world that tries to prove this virtue wrong in myriad ways.
“I am learning a deeper kindness for myself and what I am able to accomplish,” James said. “I can forget to take care of my corner, to take the time I need to renew and recharge. ‘Living on the learning edge’ for me these days is kindness to self and self-compassion. These small gestures push back against those other forces to create a kinder world.”
It was a hope-filled night, and we thank you for adding your energy and presence to the gathering. James closed our time with the lovely piece just below. You can order all of his books here.
“The World Loves You Back
Even if no one ever touched you
with the tenderness you needed,
believe that the world’s been
holding you in its arms since
the day you were born. You are
not an accident or afterthought.
Let rain on the roof remind you.
Let sun on the skin, and the neon-
orange of the Mexican sunflower
at which a hummingbird pauses
to drink. There are so many ways
to hold and be held, and you
could spend your whole life
tallying them up, without ever
reaching the end of the list.”