Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT July 19th 2024

20 Comments

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read a poem “When We Were Whales ” by Stan Heleva, posted below.

Our prompt was: “Write about turning suffering into song.”

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (“Leave a Reply”), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

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Please join us for our next session Friday July 26th at 12pm EDT, with more times listed on our Live Virtual Group Sessions.

When We Were Whales by Stan Heleva

We knew nothing of the legs we had shed
As we swam in the Peruvian desert
Nor how they had become unnecessary
Not an inkling of immanent return had we, nor again why.

We had only silent ballet, no music
Turning ourselves over in the murky sun
Only to dart in to tear more flesh from our fellows
Our tusks glinting dully, our beards stained with blood.

Our name, Leviathan Melvillei, was unknown to us
And might have remained so for all the good
It has done dead whale or dead poet: we had no tune I repeat
We taught them only to cry in pain; they made of it a song.

Credit: Stan Heleva & Michelle Paul
From Michelle Pauls’ Forthcoming play, “It’s Complicated….This Gift of Life.”

20 thoughts on “Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT July 19th 2024”

  1. Andre F Lijoi's avatar Andre F Lijoi

    Write about turning suffering into song…

    A long exhaustive breath punctuates a

    piercing, wailing cry of pain,

    deep, low pitched, otherworldly sounds.

    A labored body relaxes momentarily

    then alerted suddenly by a cry,

    high pitched of this world and sacred.

    Then smiles mixed with tears streaming down cheeks,

    deep embraces, cries of praise to God and

    a baby is placed to its mother’s breast.

    afl 07_19_2024

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    • michele348's avatar michele348

      After cries of pain, come the shouts of joy. The hardship and struggle are forgotten and a new life is reunited with his mother.

      Your words summarize this time so beautifully!

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    • Elizabeth's avatar Elizabeth

      Isn’t it interesting how when we hear the baby scream and cry after they have left the womb it’s such a relief and such a joy and yet if we hear a similar scream another time we go into panic and worry mode!Andre— Thank you for the beautiful description.

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      • al3793's avatar al3793

        Elizabeth, I’ve been privileged to be present at these most intimate moments in the lives of families. I have observed so many intense and sacred moments. Pure privilege. Thank you. Andre

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    • rehavia6's avatar rehavia6

      Andre, such a great example of suffering turning into joy. This goes on throughout the parent/child relationship. Any one who is a parent knows taht there are times of great joy and also suffering throughout.

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      • al3793's avatar al3793

        Parenthood is one of the most challenging jobs. It takes grit, heart, compassion and vision. Above all it requires willing the good of the other, loving your child. Thank you.

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  2. husswyham's avatar husswyham

    no song but in suffering
    no suffering but in song
    no great leap without strain
    no golden, magnetic, hollow sound
    that doesn’t hold some searing
    futile silence
    no silence except the one leaping
    to break the surface and become
    no thing other than an unbroken voice

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. michele348's avatar michele348

    About turning suffering into song~~~

    Moments in time when the world has imploded.Wars, hate, assassinations,blood dripping onto the land and into the seas.

    The goodness of man is forced to hidefor fear of being trampled upon,for fear of being shredded into extinction.

    Evil has stomped uponthe struggling white liliesof peace and compassion,lilies which had brought hopeon their sweet scentswafting in the air.

    I have no other way to come to understandother than turning words into song,for in a songthe sharp edges of suffering are softenedand its harshness lessened.

    But the reality is,a song does not negatewhat lingers in the mind and heart.We must do more than that.We must remember what has come before.

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    • al3793's avatar al3793

      Michele, it is tough to sing about some of the suffering you describe. But so many musicians have done it. Your speaker’s beautiful language certainly does that!

      The sweet scent of the lilies of peace wafting in the air, and,
      For in the song the sharp edges of suffering are softened and its harshness lessened.

      Thank you.

      Andre

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. Elizabeth's avatar Elizabeth

    A dirge.

    A lament.

    A requiem.

    We take our suffering and create.

    Why?

    To process it.

    To express it.

    To share it.

    We are begging others

    To bear witness to our pain.

    That is our balm.

    That is our salve.

    That is our consolation.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • michele348's avatar michele348

      Somehow by giving form to suffering either through words or art, it releases a modicum of grief from one’s heart. And sometimes, that’s enough to continue on. Excellent piece, Elizabeth.

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  6. rehavia6's avatar rehavia6

    Turning suffering into Song

    My favorite songs are the sad ones.

    Through suffering lessons are learned. 

    There can be no creativity, appreciation or joy in a smooth uneventful life.

    The ups and downs, the twists and turns, the high and lows are where a song is born. 

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    • michele348's avatar michele348

      I agree, to be truly creative, one must experience all directions life takes you…the uphill trips, the downhill trips…events that suck the air out of you, the ones that have you reeling in joy.

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