Wholeness Within

So many voices speak within—
Heart, mind, ego,
Imagination, conscience, soul.
Each one has a place,
Each one must have
Its chance to speak.

Listening to and hearing
Each voice that speaks
Is the key to harmony within.
If all would speak at once
Chaos is a sure result—
Nothing is accomplished,
Nothing is achieved.

Quiet place and time are needed,
To let each part speak,
Each part listen and
Hear the others’ point of view;
Allowing them to integrate
In one harmonious whole.

Inner song in glorious harmony,
Strength, and beauty
Comes from such a place
And time as this.
Slow down and stare awhile;
Slow down and listen;
Then sing your song.

© Judith Lawrence

Seed

Life held in seed so small
Becomes what it is meant to be.
Giant oak from acorn grows;
A fish from seed of roe.



Each seed produces its own kind,
Though not all seeds beget a life;
Chance and circumstance roll the dice
Of every life’s becoming.



© Judith Lawrence

Sophia

Sophia (Wisdom) dwells within me at my core; breath beats in my breast like a rhythmed drum. Radiant, in my deepest place, Sophia gleams with steady light from the ancient day. Down through the ages Sophia shines forth—Wisdom that is from Creation’s time dwells within me. Fire waiting to be kindled glows in hot coals; Sophia breathes her breath upon them; flames flare within my soul; creation, like a phoenix, rises up with beating wings, drums new life into being, bursting forth upon the world.

© Judith Lawrence Prose Poem

“I, Wisdom, was at [the Lord’s] side each day, his darling and delight, playing in his presence continually, playing on the earth, when he had finished it, while my delight was in humankind.” Proverbs 8 : 30, 31. The New English Bible translation.

Fall to Winter

Gone are the tall trees’ leaves now,
Brown are the ferns’ fronds,
Touched by fall’s first frost now,
And a wave of winter’s wand.

© Judith Lawrence

Becoming Myself

Born into the world
From my mother’s womb,
Though newborn
I was totally myself.

Through my early years
I learned to cover up
A large part of my being.

Hiding behind the hand
I covered and shielded myself;
Learning to live
A life of make-believe.

Now I am discovering
Who I am called to be,
The one who is becoming
Totally myself.

Mature in spirit and emotion,
With no apology
For being totally me;
Totally one with you
Who created me to be
Totally myself.

© Judith Lawrence

Ideas

Ideas, like seeds,
Fall on the mind’s
Rich soil.

Ideas, like seeds,
Put down roots,
Words spring forth.

Ideas can grow,
To become a poem,
A story, a novel,

A speech,
If you nurture them.
It’s up to you.

Will you water them,
Nourish them,
Give them light and air—
Room to grow?

Or will you let them
Lie on dry ground
Dying from neglect?
It’s up to you.

© Judith Lawrence

Passion

Passion is the
Life of Love;
Passion is the
Heart of Suffering.

Neglect not Love,
Leaving Passion
On the ground;
Refuse not Suffering,
Allowing Passion
To wither away.

Run not from Passion,
Leaving it far behind,
Dying of thirst;
Let not Passion lie
On the dusty roadside,
Sorrowing from neglect.

Take up Love of Life
Wholeheartedly,
See Passion flame
And burn up hate.
When Suffering comes,
Take it on,
Let Passion overpower it
From within.

Passion is the
Love of Life;
Passion is the
Suffering of the Heart.

© Judith Lawrence