I am starting a series of blog posts entitled '5 Minute Poems'. This in itself is pretty self-explanatory. Each post features the title of the poem, the poem it took me 5 minutes or less to write and sometimes a photo that was the seed of the poem. Since around about May of this year (2014) I have been writing and posting these 5 minute poems on
Instagram.
All of my inspiration comes spontaneously. I love the world around me. I love nature, animals, flowers, clouds, weather, water, rust, dust, sunshine and art. I take a picture, play around with it a little in various photo editors. Sometimes I keep it clean, no filter necessary. Once it is ready to post on Instagram, I tune into poem writing mode and see what flows out. A lot of the time I have been in the middle of working, gardening, travelling, socialising or some other activity and have little time to spend longer writing.
It is a spontaneous flow of words inspired by the magic of the present moment. What will reveal itself? What is waiting in our hearts to be expressed in art, colour, sounds, words and movement? What is there just beyond the chatter of the mind?
The world is an amazing place. It is a paradise but sometimes it takes a long road, some hard work and a bit of living to start seeing it so. Sometimes, all you have to do is listen and open your ears... or heart. Once we begin to open our eyes to the magic, we begin to understand our place within it. We begin to see that we too are nature, not separate from it. We can see the beauty and the magic of life.
So to start off the series, I thought it apt to write one called 'The Beginning'. Over the next few months I will be looking back at previous Instagram poems as well as dropping in brand new works.
I hope it inspires you to take some photos, make some art, write some words or just enjoy nature. Much love.
The Beginning
He flows from his chair
Where he's sat for all his life,
The fire has been burning low,
He should build it up tonight.
But something else is burning him,
A memory buried deep,
A dream once strong that faded
In the twilight of his sleep.
But here it is, that song of old
Beckoning him forth.
Come write your heart upon the page
Discover your true north.
The time is now, it's not too late,
If you can hear the call,
Just take that step, begin at last
Break down your ancient walls.
Matt Rivers
10th December 2014
Matt is a singer/songwriter, writer of words and fiction, poet and yoga teacher. If you are interested in the writing process and writing from the heart, he will be running 'Soul Writing' workshops and teaching yoga with his partner at their summer retreat in Spain in May 2015. Check the website 'Yoging the World' for full details.
