Poetry Partners #115
‘Sacred Wisdom’ (gloss form- Black Elk), a poem by Joy A. Burki-Watson of ‘Way down upon joy’

And while I stood there
–Black Elk (1863 – 1950)
I saw more than I can tell,
and I understood more than I saw;
for I was seeing in a sacred manner
And while I stood there
the sun rose ‘cross the lake afire
taking my mind to way back then
when wisdom shared sincere desire
and men woke worth with passive prayers
and now I stood there
I saw more than I can tell
and heard the bell tolling liberty
yet, unfree people were crying still
in a world of insensitivity
perhaps their spirit seeks good will
I saw more than I can tell
And I understood more than I saw
wisdom innate makes raw insight
forever’s wish for peacefulness
freedom’s forgotten comes to light
when justice rules with speciousness
and I understood more than I saw
for I was seeing in a sacred manner
from my own sacred point of view
while wondering when the world would wake
to all the years of tears accrued
while not ignoring time’s daybreak
for I was seeing in a sacred manner
- Joy A. Burki-Watson: https://allpoetry.com/waydownuponjoy
An acrostic poem in blank verse by ben Alexander of ‘The Skeptic’s Kaddish’

EPIGRAPH:

If you will read again what is written, you will see how it was.
–Black Elk (1863 – 1950)
Bells tolling, tolls paid in pounds of flesh for
liberty, treaties lie like broken limbs;
all peoples together that great tree; one
circle of joined hoops; and I- on Wounded
Knee before inevitability.
Earth, Unci Maka, giver of life for
Lakota, may your pure waters hold the
key for our children to live in this world.
Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.
–Ben Harper (b. 1969)
Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!
List of Poetry Partners
- Murisopsis
- Judy Dykstra-Brown
- Jennifer Patino
- Mike L. Utley
- Barbara Schaefer
- Ron Rowland
- Cheyenne MacMasters
- Rae Cod
- Eric Erb
- Chris Reilley
- Jim-
- Selma Martin
- Vidah (Chavi)
- varityteller
- Veera
- Kunjal Gupta
- Coco
- Lov Verma
- bodypositivefemme
- Steven S. Wallace
- Shay Simmons
- Constance Bourg
- C. L. Barton
- Madamchryzl
- Sangeetha
- Jo
- Audrey Duff
- Gillena Cox
- Yasmin
- Martha Anewa
- Malalai Khan
- Adam Taylor
- trE
- Cindy Georgakas
- Punam
- davidatqcm
- Orion Foote
- Susi Bocks
- Mister Bump UK
- Kate Blake
- Freddie Omm
- kittysverses
- enchantedwords
- Saint Gaona
- Alan Steinle
- Karina Lutz
- Sarah David
- Beka Tucker
- Maria L. Berg
- Colleen M. Chesebro
- Jane Aguiar
- Jan Beekman
- royalpalmtree
- Marian
- M Jay Dixit
- Ken Hume
- Naa Lamiorkor Boye
- Reena Saxena
- Bridget
- Ash Evan Lippert
- Freya Pickard
- Harshi
- LaMon Brown
- Nomad
- Vedran Markovic
- The.Richard.Braxton
- Kim Whysall-Hammond
- Jeff Flesch
- hutschi
- Ami Offenbacher-Ferris
- Anca
- douryeh
- enchantedwords
- Kerfe
- Puvanesvari Rajan
- MistyBlue
- Henry Mworia
- Anna Smit
- Larry Trasciatti
- Sarah Cope
- Filipa Moreira da Cruz
- Robert J. Jr.
- Rosemary McMahan
- Iswar Kar
- Mapule Somo
- Anne Morrigan
- George Ellington
- J. P.
- Christine Bialczak
- Shalini Kathuria Narang
- LaToya Williams
- Maitreyee Telang
- Amelia Michelle Nicol
- A. J. Wilson
- Nick Pipitone
- Myrna Migala
- Kathy Labrum McVittie
- Dawn Pisturino
- Eugenia
- Tea Solon
- Marion Horton
- Hassan Safdar
- Grace Y. Estevez – Reddy
- Eileen Backman
- Suzette Benjamin
- Candace
- Tarlie Francis
- Aishwarya Kannan
- Michaël
- Mary Anne Abdo
- Benjamin Nambu
- Scotti Woolery-Price
- Ara
- Sean Matthews
- Joy A. Burki-Watson
- Mike L. Utley
- Hadizat Motherconfessor
- Murisopsis
- Cindy Georgakas
- Swathi Rao
- Filipa Moreira da Cruz
- Di
- Ami Offenbacher-Ferris
- Christine Bialczak
- Rob Kistner
- Michaël
- Sarah Cope
- Stephanie Malley
- musingsbymac
- Verne Ivars Krastins
- Brandon Ellrich
- Tallisman
- kalabalu
- Kunjal Gupta
- Malalai Khan
- Mary Anne Abdo
- M. Snyder
- Sherry Lens
- Barbara Dean Aliaga
- Devine Success
- Veera
- Maria Pavlova
- Kevin L. Perrin
- Alex Budris
- Wm. “Mark” Parry
- Rayla
- Rayla
- Artem Miachin
- Jeff Lee
- Artem Miachin
- Tanmay Philip
- Dee
- Tricia Sankey
- Cassa Bassa
- 3L
- Charles
- WickedLizzie
- L. M. Montes
- Marsha Ingrao
- WickedLizzie
- Jan Beekman
- Neha Singh
- Kaci Rigney
[…] https://skepticskaddish.com/2022/08/11/baptism-or-peace-pipe/ […]
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❤️🙏🏻 Filipa 🙏🏻❤️
I remember reading Black Elk in my youth. wonderful responses to his words. (K)
💜🙏🏻 Kerfe 🙏🏻💜
Profound spirituality and terrible shame, hand in hand where they should be.
❤ 🙂 Sean 🙂 ❤ ~ exactly, thank you
Touching, moving, honorable
💘 Annette 💘
Soothing to read that he survived a massacre and that he’d been given the opportunity to travel beyond the boundaries of his birthplace.
The tributes are both beautiful
And in my heart of hearts
I wish and I pray that the eyes may be opened and the hearts willing to receive and accept them not only as hope and promise
More
As sacred law.
💞 Abi 💞
A lovely tribute to Black Elk, David.
🥰🙏🏻 Judy 🙏🏻🥰
Beautiful this is a repost.
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