POETRY: Stepping into the Middle - Jay Ramsay

STEPPING INTO THE MIDDLE

for Jenny, David, Liz, Raminder, Azra, Agui & Natasha

Like nothing you can imagine
and can only imagine being present
being totally here now in your body
as they surround you: healers for a day
loving ones, wisdom-guided humans
alive in their intuition, pure, electric
eyes hands bodies tuned to each nuance
of palms placed, air finger-combed, each note
with chanted rising rattle…and hand-painted drum.

I step into the centre now:
I want to feel my power free in a conduit of joy
no longer obstructed, shame-shunned;
my body flexes in the tensing shape of a bow
I am the archer, this is my arrow—
and every time the drawn string twangs
I’m electrified, lightened and I’m
joy-ignited inside, and you’re
dancing all around me in a loose ring laughing !

Step into the middle…be what you find.
Be laid down, be groaning, be legs splayed, be birth cry
be gloopy mass released, be crown,
be heart’s trap door sprung—
you’re in such good company
seven visibles, countless invisibles
a clock that’s ever expanding
a moon that’s full outside
ghosting the blue of the sky as it rises…

And here in our secret room with its red drawn curtains
lit thick candles and sage burning
we can step onto this dry baptism bed
standing or lying
for some ancient truth to be reborn
about how we’ve always been in our souls;
immortal, incarnate, suffering, free.

Jay Ramsay April 16/17th 2011

About the author: 

Jay Ramsay has been a singular and influential presence on the poetry scene over the last 25 years and has increasingly come into his own as a voice for transformative spiritual, political and psychological awareness. He has been described as “England’s foremost transformation poet” (Caduceus magazine, 2007). He believes that poetry has a unique, catalytic role in our culture.

Jay is running an Irish workshop in Co Kerry in June, please see the link below for further details

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