god whispers on the wind - 81 spiritual poems - sample
DESCRIPTION
'God Whispers on the Wind' is a simple but powerful collection of 81 spiritual poems by author Dave Ursillo that features contributions from seven poets, conversation starters, and much more. The poems are styled similarly to great works by Hafiz, Rabia of Basra and Rumi. Some are heart-stoking, others powerful, some playful and others even heretical. * * Note: You can download the full Kindle Book for free on Amazon.com this week (Tuesday July 31 - Thursday August 2), visit http://amzn.to/god-whispers !TRANSCRIPT
GOD WHISPERS ON THE WIND
Dave Ursillo Jr. was born in 1986 to Jane and David. He has considered himself to be a writer since penning his first Op-Ed for his Rhode Island high school’s student newspaper. After fruitless endeavors to attain superpowers in youth, for eight years he built a rickety home in the world of politics and public service—before a heart-swelled storm razed it to the ground. Dave has written over 200 essays on DaveUrsillo.com, and published his debut nonfiction book Lead Without Followers in 2011. God Whispers on the Wind is his first explorative journey into poetry. Afflicted with sporadic wanderlust, Dave finds himself a resident of New York City’s East Village. He considers himself to be a student of life, a beneficiary of the faces of strangers on the street and a lover of mystical poets of old. Dave plans to write a few dozen books, globe-trot, speak, and share smiles with one million faces.
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God Whispers on the Wind Spiritual Poems of Light, Laughter and Love
By
DAVE URSILLO JR.
FEATURING
Brit Hanson, Willie Jackson, Ellie Di Julio, Tess Marshall, Hung Pham, Syndee Stein and Jeanie Witcraft
UNLEADER STUDIOS, LTD.
Copyright © 2012 by Dave Ursillo Jr. All rights reserved. This book, or portions thereof, may not be reproduced without permission from the
author.
All contributions remain property of their respective authors.
Published exclusively for Amazon Kindle. First Edition. July 2012.
Dave Ursillo Jr.
www.daveursillo.com
ASIN B008PFX6M6
Cover photo by Martina Braun
God, what love-mischief can “We” do
for the world today?
— HAFIZ
Contents Preface About These Poems God Whispers on the Wind
One / GOD WHISPERS
God Whispers Splash Me The Storms You Stumble Upon Empty Your Bowl Drip You’re Not Here On Good Days You’re So Happy You Do Something
Tragic Let’s Smile Those Daring Cattle A Beautiful Mess Dull Razors Divine Logic This Is Happening by Syndee Stein Know Nothing But Love
Origins Clay Fears Not The Sun Submission Leap Blink Water by Hung Pham She Always Comes Back
Two / UNHOLY
Unholy Why Eat? Demands What a Tragedy Your Gentle Fire Find Love My Bowl Is Empty Clasped In Prayer Sometimes I See Dancing For One by
Ellie Di Julio A Curious Age My Liar’s Mind Your Empathy Hide and Seek Style Points The Lines We Draw Never Dreamed by Jeanie Witcraft Bridges
Dear Sir Poor Ghosts I Only Pray
Three / AMONGST THE MAZE
Amongst The Maze White Suit A Petty Slave Alarm Scary-Honest Hour Glass Under Everyone’s Radar Purpose Is A Feel Beyond the Boundaries by Willie Jackson Any Good Friend From The Hand I Should Admit A Street Crazy The Symphony Learning Curve Inside Scoop by Brit Hanson I Fear
A Little Kindness The Delicate Game A New Chance Name-Calling
Four / MY GARDEN
My Garden A Bird Swoops Embarrassingly Apparent This Damp Black Pile What the World Needs Now by Tess Marshall Another Divine Riddle The
Immortal Opponent Your Mind’s Keeper Holds Words Like These Find Comedy I’m Doing My Best Three Happy Bloodhounds Connectivity Sometimes I
Dream Petulant Itch This Salty Breeze Conversation Starters Activity Guide Journal Prompts Connect & Get Involved About the Author Excerpt: Lead Without Followers
Preface
When we can reach out and touch the common threads that are quietly spun
between different, even seemingly contradictory human spiritualities, we begin to attain
a far more enriched and empowered understanding of humanity, itself—and, even a
deeper understanding of ourselves, personally. God Whispers on the Wind is a simple
collection of 81 spiritual poems that hopes to gently encourage a greater awareness for
those common threads: the perpetual and binding human qualities of love, happiness,
purposeful living and shared experience that make us so exceptionally unique as
spiritual beings.
As such, the spiritual nature of these poems is intended to invite and encourage;
neither to convince nor persuade. Each verse is open to your own interpretation. You
may enjoy reading God Whispers on the Wind to complement, reinforce or even
challenge your preexisting religious beliefs. You may instead take these poems at face
value: as nice, little verses. Or, you may yet read them seeking to discover a depth of
feeling and oneness within your own heart, body and mind. This inner connection, this
wholesome unity, I believe, is no different than our connection and oneness with what
we call God.
I believe that spirituality deserves to be raw, real, and wildly unrefined. I am
certainly biased though, being a bit of a spiritual mutt, myself. Raised under the Roman
Catholic faith, today I don’t much associate with any institutional religion. I attended a
Jesuit college and am tattooed with a Buddhist mantra in Sanskrit. I pray to a “Father”
in my head and keep a little jade Buddha nearby always. I stack stones and comb sand
gardens. I “Ohm” on a forest green rubber mat and rub mala beads. I thank Saraswati
for a burst of creative genius, I laugh with Sufi poets, I hope to share tea one day with
the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. I feel empowered by this rounded reverence for human
spirituality. Of course, you certainly needn’t abandon institutional religion or a singular
faith to explore such a depth of love for others—no matter what labels we assign them,
or ourselves.
Unfortunately, closed-minds tend to believe that one’s inability (or, one’s outright
refusal) to confine spiritual beliefs into a neat little box is indicative of one’s own
weakness; as if the validity of your personal beliefs is dependent upon your ability to
constrain, restrict, and define it in so many words. What a shame! Imagine discussions
on God swirling with openness and laughter, fun and kindness. My hope is that God
Whispers on the Wind might bring you to consider God in this friendly, playful light.
While reading God Whispers on the Wind, please feel invited to alter any
terminology—hell, even the passages themselves—as you see fit. These poems are
intended to invite your own creative, open and loving interpretation. I hope they might
invite you to feel more connected to Spirit, God, the Universe, or whichever term best
suits your own personal preference.
In the end, I have no expectations or goals with this work, but I am happy, grateful
and honored to share it with you. I certainly do hope that you enjoy it. And, whatever
you believe, I hope that God Whispers on the Wind serves as a gentle reminder that we
are forever connected to a couple of important things: to the ether, and to one another.
With heart from New York City,
Dave Ursillo July 2012
About These Poems
The majority of these poems were written with no intention of ever being shared.
While that’s certainly not a ringing endorsement for the collection you’re about to read,
the truth is that this collection came to fruition in a very organic and authentic fashion:
without grandiose expectation; neither from a twisted, over-marketed perspective nor
with contrived goals from its inception. It, like most of my writing, began as a simple
exploration—a journey into a unique style, a liberating medium, and as a simple and fun
writing endeavor.
Over recent months, I found myself deeply drawn into the beautiful works of poets
like Hafiz, Rumi, Rabia of Basra, Kabir and many others—with almost exclusive thanks
to the great translator, a true literary force of nature, Daniel Ladinsky. I do not know
Daniel but revere this best-selling author’s free-thinking mentality, especially as a fellow
writer and spiritual explorer. Even the introductions to his popular translations prove
him to be a most prolific poet, himself. His translations (The Gift, Love Poems from
God, etc.) became my primary inspiration to write more poetry. Any familiar with his
works will find his brilliant poetic stylings to have truly influenced mine. Thus, in just
the last few months the genesis of this poetry began to gather significant momentum.
Poems exploded from my pen at an incredible pace. And in an effort to both keep true to
my own writing nature, as well as openly share this work with others who may enjoy it, I
decided to publish God Whispers on the Wind.
As a nonfiction writer, an essayist really, I quite fell in love with this medium and the
depth of its expressiveness. In God Whispers on the Wind, you’ll find poems that
celebrate an open and playful nature (“Three Happy Bloodhounds”, “From the Hand”),
take pleasure in lightly cursing (“This Damp Pile”), and even politely venting at the
order of things (“Dear Sir”, “What a Tragedy”). Naturally, that poetry is self-expressive
entails that many embody a personal narrative (“Submission”, “My Liar’s Mind”), touch
upon some love stories of old (“A Bird Swoops”), and other private thoughts (“Bridges”).
My hope is that you see these less as personal narration and more as a story-vehicle
through which you might see a new depth of yourself, your life, your dreams.
I also invited friends across the globe to contribute their own poems to God
Whispers on the Wind with hopes of giving this spiritual exploration a true communal
feel. Seven excellent contributors are included in this debut collection. Their works
touch upon realizing God in nature (“Water”), the power of momentous presence (“This
is Happening”), and a lover’s awakening (“Never Dreamed”).
And, finally, at the end of this book I’ve included some bonus materials for your
enjoyment. They include conversation starters about spirituality, which are ideal for a
book club or if even for your own personal consideration; a short list of activities to
more deeply explore your spirituality; three weeks’ worth of journal prompts to explore
and practice one’s spirituality through a private, written medium. Lastly, there’s a call to
action on how to share God Whispers on the Wind with friends, information on how to
contact me personally, and even details on submitting your own poems for possible
inclusion in a second edition or subsequent collection.
As I write in everything I have ever and will ever publish, in the end, this book is not
about me, my story or my beliefs. I believe that writing is one of the most powerful,
engaging and inviting means of human communication. Writing has not only been my
savior in helping me to explore and understand this world, but it holds a majestic ability
to transform thoughts without discrimination; to break down locked doors of the mind
with lyricism and beauty; to incite a loving revolution of the heart. In me, in these
words, I hope you find yourself. The more that we can, as a civilization, accomplish this
simple feat, the farther we will go in achieving all of the monumental tasks set before us.
GOD WHISPERS ON THE WIND
ONE
GOD WHISPERS
Taste the air so dewy sweet, glazed with subtle scents of raw earth
and sun-crisped leaf.
Have you ever heard The Wind gather its breath from countless miles away?
Your song lives like this breeze.
This wind, she carries prayers on her noble back
for eons and ages, to and from the source from which Every Thing derives.
Listen closely!
What do you hear upon this wind; our world’s One Whisper?
I hear Divine Tongues!
Wild, billowing blessings; raw gusts, that rambunctious rejuvenation.
How strong and steady her roar!
Oh, dear friend, of the little I know, one thing seems certain:
God whispers on the wind.
SPLASH ME
I am but a puddle, God; splash me where you may.
I give my life to you in
this Silk Pocket that I’ve knit.
Sprinkle the crumbs of my silvery soul
upon the path, any path, that You see fit!
I give you my hands, God; the ones You chiseled from the stars.
Take them, Dear Friend,
and with them may you write songs that make whole suns burn
like a million wondrous smiles!
Oh, I’ll give you my heart, too,
Dear Maker, since it has been Yours from the start:
Pull its chords as you will so that my love might be
a bit more like Yours.
I am but a puddle, God. Splash me where you may.
THE STORMS YOU STUMBLE UPON
Weather will find you. That’s just nature.
But when you find a question
that’s truly worth asking, it’s you who finds the weather.
These are the storms you stumble upon.
Restless wonder, yearning for more,
your soul struggling to escape from your own skin...
When you feel those symptoms,
that is your Soulful Forecast from God that says,
“Make sure to bring
your umbrella.”
EMPTY YOUR BOWL
Empty your bowl of expectation and assumption.
Throw your food from it
and onto the ground.
Rinse that bowl in honest tears and let it bake dry
in some open sunlight.
Yes, friend, only when your bowl
is totally empty may it hold all of the Love and Light
that you truly desire.
DRIP
What great works, what giving words, what Luminous Lessons
can drip with Love if the heart
has
not
been
wrung?
YOU’RE NOT HERE
You’re not here to impress anyone.
Least of all, me.
I know that.
But I also know,
from the depths of your giving and the brightness of Your Effortless Being,
that I will be so very impressed by every effort of Loving Kindness
that you etch into the souls of strangers that the very skies will dance
above your head!
And God will cheer for your joy.
ON GOOD DAYS
On good days, I walk around with such a Liberated Lightness,
it’s as if I’m
not
even
there.
YOU’RE SO HAPPY
You’re so happy when the sun is out; when the wind is tepid and clean
and translucent waters swirl between your toes
like a churning vat of ten billion bits of turquoise.
Ah, I should know!
In the sun, my soul feels so full.
But so it is when every circumstance
is simple bliss.
What of the rain?
Do you dance in the thunder, and gleefully kick every puddle
like an elated dancer upon stage?
On good days, Blissful Ease is so easy to achieve.
That is why we build our boats and paddles:
when rains pour upon us, we need some Soulful Preparation
to weather those storms.
These poems are like nails: use them to secure
your Unsinkable
Vessel.
YOU DO SOMETHING TRAGIC
You do something tragic when you hold back your love
and the ones you are with cannot breathe in
The True You.
You do something tragic when you close yourself up
and prevent your soul from shining through.
Let me see you!
Oh, you do something so tragic,
dearest friend, when you do not cry your truth
for fear that the world might judge you.
It is so tragic when you do not bear openly
your love, your beautiful story, your brilliant lessons, and all your enlightened gifts
on every whim and chance that you’ve been gifted.
Perhaps the greatest Quiet Tragedy,
one that we can so easily avoid, is when you wait for tomorrow
to sew your heart to another’s.
Please,
stop this tragedy.
And turn every chance you have
into a
Beautiful Little
Miracle.
LET’S SMILE
Let’s smile
at every expression of love. Even the silly and juvenile.
The young have nowhere else to turn!
We each begin like those naive seeds:
uncracked, needing our time
(and a few Cosmic Conditions) to coax a Solar-Bound Sprout from that
dull brown shell.
THOSE DARING CATTLE
Here’s to the ones who got away.
Those daring cattle who,
so startled from Our Friend’s shouting call, fell upon the barbed fence
but stood again, and just
kept going.
A BEAUTIFUL MESS
Let’s sit and eat at a large table; just you and me.
I’ve brought us some olives and fruit.
Let’s pull up a spare chair for God,
and invite Him to join us, too.
And so we will eat, and our conversation will go silent for a while because the food will be just too consuming
for the meandering words and Lover’s Tales
that we’ve been sharing.
What a wonderful mess we will make!
Finally, we will start drinking again after our stomachs have settled, and you may notice
that the third chair at our table is still empty, and you will ask,
“What happened to Our Special Guest, did an Angel Carrier misplace your invitation?”
“No, dear friend,” I will reply,
“He joined us from the start! Didn’t you notice? Just look at This Beautiful Mess that we have left
in the wake of All The Love that He has given us,
you and me!”
DULL RAZORS
Don’t let those linear thinkers convince you.
Nothing in this life
is as straight and narrow as they like to make it seem.
Our brains like to think in highways.
But the Soul really treads in winding, uncertain paths
that we cut by hand through the unkempt thicket with Dull
Razors.
DIVINE LOGIC
Were there no darkness, what light
would need to shine?
Oh, the somber,
the melancholy, the pain that grips and grinds!
Know that they cripple my heart like yours,
and with such ferocious disregard that at times, for days or weeks,
it may hardly beat a beat.
And, yes!
I sometimes loathe my slight understanding of this Answerless Life;
this world of endless question.
But then some Divine Logic reminds me:
“Were there no darkness, what light would need to shine?”
THIS IS HAPPENING
by Syndee Stein
This is happening.
Even my greatest attempts at stopping have failed.
Life is moving through me. Life is moving through me.
All I can do
is fight it and lose or
allow.
Syndee Stein is trail guide for transformation at Deeper Ground and uses movement, breath, heart, humor and soulful storytelling to invite people into the alchemy of the
present moment.
KNOW NOTHING BUT LOVE
Knowing, oh, how we grow older and older
so desperately longing to Know!
And so we absorb, we memorize, we conglomerate and accumulate
as much Knowing as we possibly can…
“See us!”, our desperate minds scream aloud, “See how much we Know!”
“Hush, child,”
The Purest Spirit whispers in your ear, “Know nothing but Love.”
And the world becomes
so much
clearer.
ORIGINS
Every ounce of your humanity is
etched in
D i v i n i t y .
CLAY FEARS NOT THE SUN
Birthed supple and warm, we are like little balls of clay
shaped by the smiles of the sun.
It’s Love that makes us malleable; so beautifully bendy!
But now that we’re older,
those rays that beat upon our backs feel so heavy. They’ve made us a bit hardened.
That’s why we remember
to soak ourselves with compassion:
So that we won’t dry out
and c r a c k .
SUBMISSION
Gazing upon a clouded, rainy day, I am drawn to my window sill
like a moth to the flame.
Curious solitude. Eyes widen, empty;
the face loses all expression. I fall quiet.
I am on the cusp
of some Serene Channeling now.
The mind is always the last to let go, to release, to let flow.
And then,
it submits.
LEAP
What does it feel like, dear friend,
to leap on faith and prayer?
It’s something like this:
Your toes curl in anticipation, gripped upon the edge a slick muddy shore.
Unsteady worry flutters in your chest. Knees bend with hesitation,
knowing that flight is soon in store!
And then, a gasp, the leap,
a splash, frigid cold!
Every leap is a chance
to live again; a chance to let Your World unfold!
BLINK
These days, I only fall in love at first sight.
It’s easier that way.
When our gaze is broken, so is the spell.
And eventually, we all have to
blink.
WATER
by Hung Pham
Water is in us. We change as we rise and fall.
God is in the r a i n .
Hung Pham is a traveler, photographer, writer and pathfinder who helps others find their ways and see the world differently at HungOnTheWorld.com.
SHE ALWAYS COMES BACK
I am enslaved by the sun, entranced by her face
like a young lover who has never known heartbreak.
She shows herself
and my heart skips wildly; she veils behind her clouds and I fret, fearing that I may never see her again!
But she always comes back.
A true lover, she is:
Always giving, naught else.
TWO
UNHOLY
God is more present in the sinner than the saint;
in the Holy Up-Turner of Altars than in noble men who pretend not sin,
disguised in jewel and lavish paint.
God resides most full in each of us, and in every barren soul!
Through the sinner does God speak to us,
reminding of what we ought already know.
In dregs, the derelicts, the destitute; in the emptiness of the prostitute,
God’s heart does sob and toil.
Every true saint among men was a sinner
first.
A rebel from rank and file.
But the love they showed to sinners, then,
brought out God in
every smile.