Be - Poetry by Susan Donnelly, Linda Burk & Cameron Bennetts

Inspired by Melanie Green's pre-pandemic poem, "Be Wildflower,"* here are three calming and contemplative pieces for our time by Susan Donnelly, Linda Burk and Cameron Bennetts.



Prevail
by Susan Donnelly


Be quilting thread,
stitch together
fragments not born
as one.

Be the puzzle
corner piece,
anchor promise and progress
on multiple paths.

Be the Great Horned Owl
cut dark times
with sharp eyes
and silent wings.

Be a rainbow,
rare, capricious,
reigning riches and beauty
on stormy days.

Be the unlabeled
bottle of home brew,
strong, heady,
and a little odd tasting.

Be moss on the north side
of shading sycamores,
cling softly
to the bark of life.

Be sun behind clouds,
shine softly, steadily
when no one
notices.

Be food
for the famished,
fill bellies and brains
bloated by fear.

Be content,
now is what
you are.





To Be
by Linda Burk


Be frog: Waiting, waiting patiently for the right fly

Be fox: Listening, listening for the sound which brings food for her young

Be eagle: Gliding, gliding. Watching for opportunity and seeing the world

Be bee: Working, working with others for the good of the hive

Be hummingbird: Flitting, flitting. A symbiotic relationship with the flowers

Be deer: Bounding, bounding for the joy of it

Be cat: Lolling, lolling. Relaxing and absorbing the sun

Be me: practice waiting, listening, gliding, working, flitting, bounding, and lolling





Elemental
by Cameron Bennetts


Be Still
Ferment alone, reconcile.
Settle, mellow,
Sweet nectar

Be Hearth
Tend a log, just turned,
To flame.
Dreaming embers below.

Be Earth
Roots, rocks, treasure
Below sprouts unfurling
Seeding immortal



*Melanie Green's magical poem also appears in her book A Long, Wide Stretch of Calm, which is available from The Poetry Box.