“Place of Peace That Passed Understanding” in 25 words!
Place of Peace That Passed Understanding
The portion of mother’s lap
corresponding to that stretch
upon the Buddha (then
unknown to me) where he rests
his open hand, her
cool fingers.
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I am posting the above for a Real Toads poetic “Words Matter” challenge by the wonderful Mama Zen to write about an image that recurs in my work in 25 words or less. I may have cheated a bit with the long title. The images I started out with: Buddha hands and the idea of a child resting her head on her mother’s lap, images that both are in a few of my poems. Here’s one specifically about Buddha Hands.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: Buddha lap poem, manicddaily, Momentary peace, mothers and Buddha's laps, Place of Peace that Passed Understanding, Short short poem, Where oh where can I put my weary head?
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ManicDDaily 
August 30, 2012 at 2:17 am
Such a universal thing–it almost seems like I’ve seen primates do this, cradling their young, stroking their heads, though of course, no strands of long hair to brush back…still, it seems that primal a place.Pretty good getting Universal Peace down in 25 words or less, K.
August 30, 2012 at 6:45 am
Ha – thanks – the 25 words very hard – I have about fifteen of them at this point, which may be more poetic, but weren’t somehow clear enough- at least for what I particularly was trying to get it. One of the great things about blogging is that you get a much stronger sense of how people read and where they are likely to take certain kinds of ambiguities (often quite different than what I, at least, expect.) So I had to play around with all these different angles, so interesting really. k.
August 30, 2012 at 2:33 pm
I’ve gotten sort of used to 55 words, which seems pretty terse to me, but 25 is almost haiku or tanka style–very hard, I think. Know what you mean about the feedback from blogging–I do think it makes you more aware of how others read. I had the same difficulty with my 25-worder, cutting out juicy bits I liked but weren’t clear enough to drive the poem. Brevity is a great tool, though not for everything. of course.
August 30, 2012 at 3:54 am
Just reading your words brings the peace you speak of. Comforting image.
August 30, 2012 at 5:23 am
nice….def a place of peace….the mother and the cool hand…mine was the ear too…as a child i would want to hold her ear lobe….
August 30, 2012 at 6:06 am
You know Buddhas also have these very long earlobes. Kind of funny. K
August 30, 2012 at 6:51 am
Nice. A few words say a lot!
August 30, 2012 at 7:01 am
Thanks, Dave. k
August 30, 2012 at 7:26 am
Beautiful poem. Makes me want to be that little child again! (Love the image as well!)
August 30, 2012 at 8:07 am
Thanks so much, Mary.
August 30, 2012 at 9:29 am
This was beautiful! The sentiment and wisdom in so few words!
Love it~
August 30, 2012 at 9:51 am
Truth time! I saw a loaf of bread fresh from the oven .. which for me means comfort, mother, peace and childhood all over again!!
August 30, 2012 at 10:25 am
So interesting – thanks, Helen. k.
August 30, 2012 at 10:13 am
I saw bread, as Helen did. The deep comfort and trust is delectable. his open hand, her cool fingers -is a most lovely turn of words-complete simplicity.
August 30, 2012 at 10:25 am
Ha – you know I didn’t know what Helen meant, but now looking at the picture I can see it. Very funny. k.
August 30, 2012 at 10:39 am
This gives me such a sense of peace. Beautiful!
August 30, 2012 at 11:00 am
Thanks, MZ.
August 30, 2012 at 12:07 pm
I am there on the lap of the Great Mother, finger touching Buddha’s and others’. Such peace!
August 30, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Ha! Thanks! k .
August 30, 2012 at 6:11 pm
Beautiful!
August 30, 2012 at 6:34 pm
Lovely images… but I at first thought this was a fresh baked loaf of bread out of the oven! 🙂