Compass magnetized to truth,
lead me to serenity.
Through brazen brambles
toward path with verdant ferns,
emerald grass and sentinel trees.
Close to streams unseen but heard.
Soft swishes, trickles too,
psalms in salient tranquility.
Guide me through morass
into a land of grace.
Written for Quadrille Monday at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the world. Today De is hosting and asks us to include the word “magnet” or a form of the word in our poem that is exactly 44 words, sans title. Photo taken a number of years ago on trip to see our niece in Ohio.
lillian the home poet 
If it was this easy to find a path of truth… I fear that for many it’s a winding road through bogs and mire.
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Ah….but I do think we must always search for that path! 🙂
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What a gorgeous shot, Lill, leading us down the path of your words. I have always thought that among all of God’s creations, trees carry all the grace we need.
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I so agree about trees. And my favorite are beeches, like this. This was a surreal place. I remember thinking, this is what the Japanese mean when they talk of therapeutic values to forest bathing! 🙂
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I love that road, filled with psalms in salient tranquility. I ask for guidance too, into this land of grace.
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When I meditate, sometimes I recall this photo and this place. 🙂
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I would love to take a walk down that path flanked with trees, Lill – it’s beautiful! I wish everyone’s moral compasses were magnetized to truth – the world would be a better, more tranquil place.
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Amen to that. The idea of the compass here came from the memoir of Ted Kennedy, True Compass. I read it many years ago, but some when I saw the word “magnet” I thought about how a compass is magnetized . 🙂
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“Close to streams unseen but heard.” The path in Taoism has been described like this, Lillian, where you can sense you’re near it. Your photo shows a magnetic path to serenity.
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What a wonderful comment to read. Thank you!
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You’re very welcome.
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Such peace and tranquility in this one, Lillian! 💝 I especially admire; “Through brazen brambles
toward path with verdant ferns,”.. it puts me in the mind of one finding their way through hurdles and obstacles in life .. being guided by nature. 🙂
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Exactly! That metaphor of life as a hike through a forest entangled with brambles and thorns but also full of beautiful sun streaked paths like this one. 🙂
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‘Compass magnetized to truth’ — what a stunning opener! A beautiful read, and if you can lead us to grace, please let us know how…
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What a wonderful comment to read. Thank you! I think we must all strive to keep our compass magnetized toward truth. It’s quite difficult these days with 24/7 news cycles etc.
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Boy, we all could use a turn with your magic compass, and the energy is building, because in two weeks, the magnetic fields clash.
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Amen Amen Amen! May the compass land true!!!! There just HAS to be more than enough people in our country who value truth, honesty, morality, good character, science, justice etc.!! We’ve already voted. Of course we live in Massachusetts…which always goes Democratic. My son in NC is voting in person with his wife….wearing their masks and carrying umbrellas to insure people keep their 6′ distance from them….she has some underlying pre-conditions. But they feel so strongly, in a swing state like NC, that they must go in person to insure their vote counts. Let us hope and hope and pray and pray! Truth MUST win out! 🙂
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How beautiful. ❤
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Thank you, Lucy!
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Oh I think we all feel a bit like that at the moment. Wonderfully written.
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Thank you, Carol. Yes….I hope MANY MANY feel this way and make their feelings known in this election! Glad you enjoyed this one.
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This whole poem is a pathway to serenity. We certainly need it.
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Amen to that! 🙂
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A calming psalm this poem, may this prayer be answered, may peace be with you.
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. . . and with you. 🙂
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I love your poem Lillian. Our compass drawn to truth… much needed these days… takes us where we need to go! Beautiful.
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Oh yes. May we all be guided by a compass magnetized to truth and turn this country around in the process!
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Oh, if only, Lillian!
That is such a lovely path–it would be nice if there was one like that to truth.
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I so agree. I do think we must all keep searching out this path….and through it may get hidden by others, we must must find it!
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I love the idea of a land of grace. Beautiful!
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Me too! So glad you liked it Linda.
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Oh yes, guide us all through this morass and lead us to tranquility!! From your mouth to God’s ear!
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Amen!
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Beautiful Lillian and a wonderful picture!
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Thank you, Rob. When I meditate, I often try to picture this path in my mind. The sun, the beech trees, the myriad shades of green….what a beautiful place it was to meander along.
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“…psalms in salient tranquility”
Standout line in a FANTASTIC work, Lillian. My hat’s off.
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Thank you, Ron. What a wonderful comment to read! Truly appreciated.
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I do love the idea of nature being the truth of life so being drawn to its serene balance seems the only logical way forward. Beautiful, Lillian.
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Thank you so much for the lovely comment Jo-Anne. I truly appreciate it!
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I love this as a daily prayer. Nature offers us so many metaphors for hope, strength and guidance. I enjoyed the gorgeous word choices, Lillian.
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Your comment made my day. Thank you! 🙂
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So beautiful!
Sent from my iPhone
>
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So nice to see you here! And so very glad you enjoyed this one 🙂 HUGS to you from Boston!
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“Psalms in salient tranquility” took my breath away, but all the images are one of grace accepted joyfully. Just beautiful!!
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Thank you, Dora. What a wonderful comment to read. I truly appreciate it! 🙂
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This flows so well and the end is fitting with the “land of grace.” I think when we find our true purpose things can fall in place. The problem is getting that compass working right!
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Yes indeed. Something we all must work at! 🙂
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What a lovely psalm, Lillian, showing the pathway to peace…reminds me of David’s Psalm 23.
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Oh what a beautiful comment! Thank you, Lynn.
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I love the half-rhyme of those final two lines, and also the idea of a ‘compass magnetised to truth’: for sure we are led to serenity, if we stay on that right path.
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So glad you enjoyed this one, Ingrid. Often, when I’m meditating, I call up this path in my mind. The birch trees and the sun streaking through, it truly was as beautiful as this photos captured it.
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Guide me through morass
into a land of grace.
As perfect as it is as a prayer. Great wordcraft Lillian!
Hank
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Thank you, Hank. So glad you enjoyed!
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It sounds like a small corner of heaven.
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This place was indeed. I let my niece and husband walk way ahead and just meandered every so slowly to soak it in. It truly was as beautiful as the photo shows.
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Those “streams unseen but heard” are the truth, with their tranquility and grace. We would do well to listen to them.
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beautiful serenity flows through this Lillian 🙂
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