If you would like to listen to me recite this poem, click the following link:
Musical background selection, “Snow and Light,” by Dustin O’Halloran on his album, “Lumiere.”
I Am With You Now
by JJHIII24
The light escapes from the window,
Across the room,
Lands on my face,
Gets under my eyelids,
And stirs me to wakefulness.
Slowly, the light becomes brighter;
My mind resists entry back into the room.
Very slowly, I open my eyes.
At first, there is only a fog–
A blur of light and shadow;
The trees outside my window are stirring in the wind,
Casting their tumultuous shadows across my face.
It takes several minutes for resistance to fail,
When once more, I am back in the world–
My consciousness returns to the world.
It feels like I’m floating.
I can hardly move.
The air is still, and yet,
The motes of dust rotate and swirl
In the beam of sunlight.
There is nothing but silence and presence.
It doesn’t take long,
My mind wanders, and when it wanders,
It wanders to you–
More precisely, to my memories of you.
And yet, my spirit somehow seems to hold
The presence of your spirit within it;
We are joined in the spirit.
I manage to slide up in the bed–
Prop myself up on my elbows;
And reverie sets in.
What joy there is in this reverie;
What intensity of spirit–
And abundant affection.
I fly to you, but there is no reply.
© March 2016 by JJHIII24
John's Consciousness 
It’s Easter Monday – for us another holiday! So I have time to discover the secret treasures of my in-box! And what should I find? Your latest blog post, a lovely poem with the promise of hearing your voice as you recite it! I enjoyed listening to your voice, deeper than I remember it but still pleasant!
I am always amazed at your ability to be in the present and to linger there, savouring every moment. I think they call it mindfulness – a practice I need to give more attention to! Writing poetry must help a lot with the ‘lingering’ and the mindfulness as you stop to consciously and deliberately recall the thoughts and sensations of a particular time, and contemplate the beauty significance of a certain event or thought. I can see I need to find, or make time, to do this more often!
Geri
Geri,
Thanks so much for your visit and your kind words.
It is helpful when writing poetry to practice mindfulness and to spend some time deliberately contemplating the details of the very moment in which we live. I tend to be alert to the present moment most of the time, but reflection and contemplation after the fact often brings out additional aspects of my experience, and memories are essential to the process so I tend also to memorize details as they occur, knowing they may be of value later on. I also spend a fair amount of time editing the structure and meter when it is needed and regularly attend to honing the expressions that erupt from within me as the spirit moves me.
It has been quiet here lately and thankfully I have been able to spend time reading and writing. Easter this year has been a much needed weekend for solitude. I’m so pleased you thought to write to me and encourage you to do so as often as you are able and willing.
Kind regards…John H.