Sunday, April 14, 2024

Chelan Harkin: Approach Thirsty

This is one of the stunning poems from her third book, Wild Grace, that Chelan Harkin read when my husband and I saw her on April 12th. Chelan's poetry, courage and wisdom, and deep and courageous heart touches my heart and soul so deeply and is now captivating increasing numbers of people worldwide. So needed and such a gift. Blessed be. 🙏💗 Molly

Chelan speaking at New Thought Center for Spiritual Living, Lake Oswego, OR. April 12th, 2024

Approach Thirsty

Lately I've been praying to Muhammad,
Moses, Krishna,  Buddha, Baha'u'llah, Zoroaster, Jesus
why be choosy?

I ask any source of true love
and great joy
to throw me as many bones
as they might.

Sometimes I pray to Mozart, Bach or Galileo
to pour music or the stars
through me.

Often I pray to Tahirih,
a great Persian poet and feminist
of the 1800's who would remove
her veil when addressing men
and was martyred
for speaking the irrepressible truth
in her heart.

Her final words were,
"You can kill me as soon as you like,
but you will never stop
the emancipation of women."

I often ask Hafez for a dance
and we go for the most poetic whirls.

Sometimes I ask Rumi
that he pluck me an ancient,
everblooming rose
and I crush its scent
onto the page.

I have a crush on Kahlil Gibran
and ask that he pass me
inspired love notes.

I pray to Harriet Tubman,
that queen of heroism,
for courage
and to Einstein
for out of this world
ideas.

Inspiration is not elitist.
There is no muse
that is off limits,
no genius you should not approach
and ask to be yours.

Oh, beseech whoever you might
that the master keys
that open all hearts
are put in your care,
that your particularly necessary style of expression 
may open new portals of beauty
to the eyes of the world.

Hobnob with all the great
dead poets,
thinkers
lovers,
artists,
heroes of justice,
leaders of truth.

They still want a place
to pour their wonder
into the world,
and you are a worthy vessel.

It's an open bar in the sky.
Approach thirsty,
and ask!

― Chelan Harkin
From Wild Grace

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