Editor’s note:
Local poet Mimi Jennings is a longtime participant in Transition Town—ASAP. At the local readings she hosts, Mimi invites neighbors, as well as other accomplished poets, to the microphone. At this often hectic time of year, she offers two poems for us to savor. “Mind for Sound” reminds us that poetry is also word play. “After Thich Nhat Hanh’s Breathing” is Mimi’s take on the words of a Vietnamese Buddhist poet.
Mind for Sound*
I know
where the word hymn comes from—
the hum, the thrum in my chest,
a song, an air, an anthem
noble, like honor,
like prayer.
And I get
slut, lust, the thrust
of them. Brash. Trust their muscle
their cheek.
They share a phoneme
with love.
Grumble is easy
A bass, animal rumbling not-so
Low, back of the teeth.
Drum, growl,
cheer counterbalance,
useful for truth.
I know where
we get whisper
and sigh. Soft, expressive breezes,
ineffable—
Shh, listen yourself—
more verses
unnecessary.
After Thich Nhat Hanh’s
Breathing
Breathing in, I see myself a flower
dewdrop fresh.
Breathing out,
my eyes become flowers.
Breathing in, I am poised.
Breathing out,
I am imperturbable,
a mountain—
waves of emotion
do not carry me away.
Lake water that faithfully
reflects the sky,
a full moon
in my heart,
I breathe in.
I have become boundless.
I have no luggage.
Please look at me
breathing out
with the eyes of love.
*”Mind for Sound” and “After Thich Nhat Hanh’s Breathing” copyright (c) 2021 by Mimi Jennings.
Mimi Jennings is the author of two poetry manuscripts, Madonna, Immaterial Girl: Poem in Four Cantos and Stonecrop and Bloodroot, and the chapbook Family of Sonnets. Her work has appeared in many journals and anthologies. Mimi received the St. Catherine University Creative Work Award, the Banfill-Locke Writing Award, a first and a second from the Park Bugle and regional honors from the Maria Faust Sonnet Contest. A former French, English, prison-Dharma teacher, she hosts readings and sequesters with people from three continents.
beautiful words from a beautiful woman. she will be missed dearly