THE CRITIQUE CIRCLE
BACK TO
CRITIQUE CIRCLE
INSTRUCTIONS
COMPLETE
INSTRUCTIONS HERE
CRITIQUE GUIDELINES
CRITIQUE TIPS
HELP TOUR
1) You start with one credit so post your first piece of 1,000 words or less.

2) Receive critiques over a few weeks.

3) Read guidelines and critique another writer and earn 1 credit to post another 1,000 word or less piece.


4) Build up credits now by giving more critiques to be used at another time.
YOUR CREDITS
LOGIN HERE


ATTENTION:
Effective 8-27-15 submissions are now limited to 1,000 words or less and to a maximum of four submissions per month per member. See message to left for information.

TITLE: Notes From the Study House in March, No. 3
By Peter Menkin
02/17/09
  SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
 SEND ARTICLE TO A FRIEND
This religious and spiritual poem by aspiring poet Peter Menkin is about a Quiet Day at a monastery in Berkeley, CA USA. It is some years old, but I have liked it and post it here for comments. Thank you.
Peter
Notes From the Study House in March, No. 3 by Peter Menkin

A prayer, a poem, a recitation about sanctifying oneself…to be with God…

I have liked this poem from the time I wrote it some years ago. It is posted on my website www.petermenkin.com . Usually, I stick with poems that are newer or at least not on the website. Yet I liked this one so much again for this blog, and also at this time of year in Epiphany that I am posting it here. Note that it was originally written in March, from my notes at a Study House in Berkeley, California, Incarnation Monastery. Some how, this year it fits here as we continue in the season. The photo (not sho0wn here)of Father Robert Hale, who was “preacher” at the Quiet Day, a monk, is who the poem itself is source, so to speak. As I mention in my excerpt for this post:

Written some 9 or more years ago as notes taken at a Study House in Berkeley, CA USA (Incarnation Monastery, Camaldoli, Benedictine), this poem has The Very Reverend Robert Hale been a favorite of mine. Part of a series of poems created as notes on statements by the monk giving a particular Quiet Day for Oblates, this is among the few survivors of the series. As an aspiring poet endeavoring to meet a aged idea of taking notes from a Master, and writing them in a form (this case a poem), I had to give up my ambition. Unfortunately, my hands will no longer sustain the kind of note taking the task requires. That is sad for me.

I hope the poem will speak to you as it has spoken to me, and some others who have read the poem. You can tell that I like it very much. I do not always like my own poems “very much.” It is something I endeavor to find when writing these, that they will continue to speak some time after conception and writing.

Notes from the study house in March, No. 3 (2001)

by Peter Menkin


In God of God,

beginning with the mnemonic–with Christ

beside others.

Around the Abba.The Alpha.

Tree of the Cross,

giving voice to yearning

within. The returning

movement

of intention to be

with God the whole day.

The master says,

“not to be habitually forgetful,”

prayer of aspiration!

Help me in this God.

Audio reading of poem by poet is here:

http://www.archive.org/details/NotesFromTheStudyHouseInMarchNo.3…2001ByPeterMenkin
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.