A Hundred Falling Veils

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged failure, poem, poetry, rejection | 10 Comments

10 Responses

1. on March 12, 2019 at 12:52 am | Reply One More Rejection — A Hundred Falling Veils – WilliWash

   […] via One More Rejection — A Hundred Falling Veils […]

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2. on March 12, 2019 at 4:38 am | Reply edbrummel

   You do realize, though, that failure doesn’t signify weakness? I do like that you’ve given failure its own cathedral, its own expansive space to be worshipped and honored—bowed down to. That said, failure sure can feel as though we’ve presented our weaker selves.

   I’m thinking now, that perhaps the only connection this poem is making between failure and “our weakest self” is solely a matter of where you happen to be when your bowing takes place. That it’d be, for all intents and purposes, the exact same poem if the first line had been, say, “in a field on the banks of the San Juan—”, or, “sitting on the edge of my bed, weeping, alone in the echoing house—” In this case, then, perhaps the first line could be the title, or not even used at all; the couplet, “learning to bow to our weakest self/and rise emptier, more full of song,” is powerful and provocative enough, imho, to stand on her own. (Powerful enough to be used as the Quote of the Day on the menu board of a hospital cafe.)

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   • on March 14, 2019 at 4:21 pm | Reply Rosemerry

     thanks for spreading it, dear Eduardo … well, my relationship with this particular rejection is interesting in how it is evolving. It’s so interesting to watch this longing for affirmation from certain venues (the academy, in this case). But Rachel gave me a good talking to and I am feeling much much better … letting go of the longing to be acknowledged in a certain way is very very freeing.

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3. on March 12, 2019 at 7:26 pm | Reply edbrummel

   This book, coming out in May:

   https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781501195761

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   • on March 14, 2019 at 4:18 pm | Reply Rosemerry

     wow, looks great …

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4. on March 14, 2019 at 3:16 am | Reply edbrummel

   This quote, at the beginning of your, “Though It Is Tough to Choose It,” from Naked for Tea, p. 6:
   “This is the path of failure. We see that our definition of success is what is not working. What is working is deep, unseen.”
   —Joi Sharp

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   • on March 14, 2019 at 4:13 pm | Reply Rosemerry

     Cheers to the path of failure, how it teaches us so well. Helps us see where the path is not … including any longing we have for success 🙂

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5. on March 17, 2019 at 10:46 am | Reply Augusta Kantra

   When I read “in the cathedral of failure—” it spoke to me of the “self” filled monument we can make to that feeling of utter disappointment and despair. Bowing to the humanness of such “self-ing” is compassion at work. Releasing it, emptying out the me-ness, is like a huge exhale. The inhale, well, that’s that beautiful filling up. I thank you for this concise lesson and reminder!!! Love and Namaste

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6. on March 17, 2019 at 11:08 am | Reply Augusta Kantra

   Oh check this out…its one of my favorite teachings for it gives me GREAT solace!!!
   “On this path no effort is wasted, no gain is ever reversed; even
   a little of this practice will shelter you from great sorrow.”
   Bhagavad Gita, 2.40

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7. on March 18, 2019 at 1:02 pm | Reply Rosemerry

   yes, this is a good teaching … thank you for sharing it with me. darn hopes, but the effort has been worth it. xoxo

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