From Dr.E.: Blessing-Poem, “I Am Not Needed There…Fire! Give Me Fire!”

Dear Brave Souls: I’m placing this blessing-poem here for you as encouragement, as support, as knowledge… all of which are far different and often more sustaining than ‘information’ alone. Peace be with you. Til we meet again at the fireside …soon.

With love,

Dr. E

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I AM NOT NEEDED THERE … FIRE, GIVE ME FIRE!

by CP Estés

I am not needed.

There are enough scholars

arguing both or all sides of everything.

(I always laugh when I hear about “equal time”

as though there are only two sides.

There are thousands of sides to everything.)

I am not needed there.

There are enough etymologists.

There are others who can use the beautiful words

like nosology, tautology,

eschatology, exegesis, and omphalos—

(not to mention syzygy)

even though only five-thousand people worldwide

know what those words really mean.

I am not needed there.

There are ever so many beautiful singers,

whose voices are sweet or clear or powerful.

And though I love to feel them play my bones,

I am not needed there either.

There are more than enough people busy

stirring the pot, taking the high road,

knowing all the short cuts,

calling more cooks to supervise the broth,

adding more coals to the fire.

There are more than enough

who spin evolutionary ideas,

who add more to the heap,

who fill everything that needs filling,

and who are emptying

all the things that they believe are in dire

need of emptying.

There are enough rolling stones,

enough birds in the bushes

(though far fewer in the hand).

There are enough of all these.

I am not needed there.

But down at the back of the house at dark,

leaning over the great stone sharpening wheel,

my old broken shoes fitted to the rusted pedals,

I can make my legs go forever.

I can make my legs go forever.

I can make my legs go forever.

I press the steel blade

of every dull knife—

not hard against hard,

but tender against hard, just right—

against this spinning stone. I make

fly everywhere in the night,

showers of sparks, the little fires

that catch often enough,

and just right

on various dry old tears,

and old useless memories

stacked as crisp papers

in some forlorn attic

under the hairline soffits or

in the cornices of the heart.

And this fire

sets ablaze whatever is needing

warmth…

This fire  sets ablaze

And burns away

whatever is no longer needed.

Here I have found my place.

Here, I have found my place.

Here I am needed

at this great stone wheel

that cannot turn by itself,

but only by the bones and blood

of the hands and the legs

that can hold to it,

that can hold to it,

that can hold to it.

Working long, tiring, resting,

Working long, tiring, resting,

Working long, tiring, resting,

coming back

once more.

Fire! Give me fire!

More! Fire!

Again!

Again!

… Showers of sparks, everywhere!

_________________

“I Am Not Needed There… Fire, Give Me Fire!” blessing-poem by CP Estés Copyright, ©2010, All Rights Reserved, including but not limited to electronic, performance, theatrical, musical, graphic, film, commercial, derivitive. Uses: You are welcome to use this blessing poem in non-commercial ways without adding to nor deleting any part, just using the work in its entirety along with author’s name and this copyright notice attached. Thank you. Other permissions: Ngandelman@aol.com

(This blessing-poem given out in the ancient oral tradition during first fireside of The Dangerous Old Woman, CP Estés and Sounds True, 2010.)

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