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Stephen Fuller *** Poetry, Essays

Light in Dark Times: Meditation 17 – John Donne and a response “Though on them born eager to be found” by Stephen Fuller

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“No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the …

Light in Dark Times: Meditation 17 – John Donne

Today, Christine shares at the Go Dog Go Cafe John Donne’s No Man is an Island, her choice of a classic poem to inspire us in this crazy, unusual time. In a fit of inspiration looking out the window on a rainy day taking a pause from reading a biography of my beloved Ranier Maria Rilke, I wrote in response the following:

Oh… fly me to this island and drop me.

Home will I find there, if but a swim

Must be taken by those who long to hear

What words my heart has concocted from

The cool breezes and slowly lifted fogs

And snowed tops of mountains that call

Out to me in their settling. Soon they will

Warm and melt and flood inside the lake

That enraptures my temple on this island

Where I beseech thee, swim to me, please

Do so when confident in your strokes

Enough, I will meet you half way and help

Finish your journey. No man is an island

Though on them born eager to be found.

21 Responses to “Light in Dark Times: Meditation 17 – John Donne and a response “Though on them born eager to be found” by Stephen Fuller”

  2. Stephen

    Reblogged this on Go Dog Go Café and commented:

    Earlier today, Christine shared John Donne’s poem we know as No Man Is an Island. In a fit of inspiration that had been slipping away in face of the practicality of managing life during these most unusual days… I offered this in comments and what had started as a random one line thought became, well, a full blown response poem. Now… wash your hands and stay away from me… LOL. Just kidding, social distancing not required at the Cafe. But do wash your hands before you scroll around.

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  4. ivor20

    Your final four lines were even more outstanding… I’ve read them through three times, and now I’ve swam all the way…..
    “Do so when confident in your strokes
    Enough, I will meet you half way and help
    Finish your journey. No man is an island
    Though on them born eager to be found.”

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. braveandrecklessblog

    Honored to have inspired this piece! I fell in love with John Donne’s words in my teens and have carried it with me through the decades. It speaks to an essential truth that I have needed these last few weeks.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Stephen

      I am surprised that John Donne would be one of your dead poets, honestly, but can understand how his poetry would speak to you now. Call this an accidental poem… I wrote a comment that punched into my subconscious and just sucked out the rest… was almost violent… 😆

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • Stephen

      Thank you Eugi… this would a true heart and soul poem… something about this particular poem triggered a release of emotions and hopefully broke the minor block I found myself in. Thank you for sharing it. Means a ton!

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      Reply

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