Writing on the Wild Edges: Participant Poems (Julia Morris-Meyers)

 This past October we led one of our Writing on the Wild Edges retreats on the beautiful island of Inismor off the coast of Galway. We will be sharing some of the writing which participants gave us permission to share here in the next few weeks. Up next are poems by Julia Morris-Meyers.

Coming​ ​home,​ ​Christmas

to​ ​dusty​ ​high​ ​plains

front​ ​door​ ​opening

smells​ ​of​ ​turkey,​ ​more

stockings​ ​bulge,​ ​fire​ ​lit

smiling​ ​parents,​ ​happy​ ​we’re​ ​here.

Twinkling​ ​lights​ ​beckon

while​ ​Dad​ ​carves​ ​the​ ​bird

dear​ ​Aunt​ ​Dot​ ​samples

Mother​ ​juggles​ ​pans.

Table​ ​set​ ​with​ ​best

crowded,​ ​we​ ​don’t​ ​mind

cold​ ​night​ ​kept​ ​at​ ​bay

hearts​ ​warm,​ ​filled​ ​with​ ​cheer.

Yearning​ ​for​ ​those​ ​days

long​ ​gone,​ ​they​ ​now​ ​are

Dad​ ​and​ ​Dot​ ​are​ ​passed

a​ ​stranger​ ​lives​ ​there

high​ ​standard​ ​to​ ​keep

me,​ ​I​ ​can’t​ ​compete

memory​ ​my​ ​comfort

and​ ​love,​ ​in​ ​my​ ​heart.

And​ ​after​ ​visiting​ ​St​ ​Ciaran’s​ ​sacred site,​ ​this​ ​haiku:

Rag​ ​tree​ ​prayers​ ​for​ ​babe

holy​ ​well,​ ​seven​ ​times​ ​‘round

connecting​ ​stone,​ ​heal

(grandson​ ​#2​ ​is​ ​expected​ ​in​ ​the​ ​spring!)

Julia Morris-Meyers takes great joy in teaching others about the beauty of music, whether it is as choral conductor, organist and pianist, or private instructor.  Through her international travels as an accompanist she has seen the power of music to bring diverse cultures and peoples together and she strives for this goal in all her musical endeavors.  Julia lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and leads contemplative studies, retreats and weekly prayer at her Episcopal church. Her husband and pets provide great companionship and she relishes her new role as “Nana.”