Poetic Expressions of Silence and Expectant Waiting

Instructions

Instructions: 

Quaker Haiku

Silence envelops

Hearts gathering together

Waiting to be led

Kathleen Burckbardt, 18
Saanich Peninsula Monthly Meeting, Canadian Yearly Meeting (FGC-FUM) Canada
from Spirit Rising: Young Quaker Voices, Used with permission from Quaker Press of FGC

This Prayer Has No Words

This prayer has no words.

It has no request, no plea,

no expectation of fulfillment,

nor does it belong entirely to me.

This prayer has no words.

Its connection is direct, uncluttered.

Peripheral thoughts slip softly out of focus.

A mind, heart, a whole being

reaches out to its spiritual source.

This prayer has no words.

It is an intensity in the chest, a free tightness of breath

at the same time excited and nervous

a boundless feeling, an energy finding direction.

This prayer has no words.

It was not planned or written before

but caught me in a burst

as I looked to the sky.

Joanna Waters, 20
Portsmouth and Cambridge Meeting, Britain Yearly Meeting
United Kingdom
from Spirit Rising: Young Quaker Voices, Used with permission from Quaker Press of FGC

Queries for journaling, group discussion, or worship share:

What does the poem mean?

How does the poem express the essence of expectant waiting?

What is worship?

What am I listening for? What am I expecting?

What happens in the worshipful silence? How can I listen for God?

Does worship deepen my relationship with God, increase my faithfulness and refresh and renew my daily life, both inwardly and in my relationship with other persons and with all creation?

Does worship enhance my capacity for attentive, non-judgemental listening to others?

How does participation in meeting for worship contribute to my life-long spiritual journey?

How can I use silence outside of Meeting for Worship?

Additional Materials

Reading List: 

Both poems were published in Spirit Rising: Young Quaker Voices, Used with permission from Quaker Press of FGC