This week I went to a lovely evening in Luisne called “Mysticism in Poetry” (http://centreforspirituality.com). It was a two hour meditative reflection and sharing on the poetic words that create an “echo in the deep hearts core” i.e. poetry that moves or inspires you.

Ann McGovern lead the group and shared some poetry from ancient mystics such as Rumi and Hafiz to more modern poets such as John O’Donohue and Mary Oliver.

I was reminded of poetry I had learned as a child…..

(“What is this life if full of care, We have no time to stand and stare? No time to stand beneath the boughs, And stare as long as sheep, or cows. No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass. No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars, like skies at night.No time to turn at Beauty’s glance, And watch her feet, how they can dance.No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began. A poor life this, if full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. William Henry Davies 1871 – 1940)

…..to poetry I can across as an adult such as Kahil Gibran or Maya Angelou. I was reminded of this quote recently by my colleague Noel Davidson and I keep it very much to the top of my mind when I am thinking about delivering training to the start up businesses and entrepreneurs.

And I was introduced to new poetry such as the poem by Derek Walcott. I fell in love with his poem Love after Love where it elicits the idea in my mind of meeting my future self and what that future self would say to me now……

It was a great night and I was delighted to reconnect with my interest in poetry. With work, technology and the general business of life I often forget the satisfaction that reading a poem can give and the inspiration that it can bring to my life in terms of imagination and language.