A Morning Poem from My Spiritual Practice

One of my newest rituals involves a form of poetry you’ve probably never heard of.

I started writing rensakus in December for no obvious reason. I vaguely knew what a rensaku was but had never written one. Something kept nudging me to give it a try.
 
Since then rensakus have become a cornerstone of my daily prayer.
 
The way I understand it, each rensaku is a series of haikus (or other Japanese poems) that, together, convey more than each haiku does on its own. Most days, during my morning prayer, I watch the ever-changing sky, examine my deepest self, then write a rensaku that both responds to what I see and reveres the divine spirit. Very little editing is involved. It’s a pleasure to watch them unwind as I form the words and haikus.
 
Their impact on me doesn’t end there. On numerous days, when I get myself into a muddle or hit a dead end, rereading the rensaku brings me back to those moments of attention and equanimity. That gets me centered enough to continue my day.
 
Most of these aren’t out in public yet—I honestly have no idea what I’m going to do with them—but here’s one to give you an idea. I invite you to read the poem, draw it into yourself, and make it your own, whatever that means to you. Happy reading.
 
 
everything one glow
 
the trees seem bigger
branched against the sky aglow
one corner of blue
 
the rest white until
the blue begins to ooze
across the window
 
contrails draw my eyes
criss-cross one puffy one crisp
and oh so bright
 
I can feel my mind
alighting too near weightless
this day will be good
 
I almost dare say
as soon as the blue pervades
the clouds move back in
 
across the window
white pale bruise no less aglow
my whole face lighter
 
as light enters me
how can all this wonder be
anything but one