Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT December 12th 2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we took a close look at a clip from the movie “The Hours [2002] – Flowers, what a beautiful morning and read the poem Instructions on Not Giving Up” by Ada Limรณn, posted below.

Our prompt was:ย โ€œAn obscene display of color.โ€

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Wednesday January 14th at 6pm EST, with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessions.

The Hours [2002] – Flowers, what a beautiful morning

Instructions on Not Giving Up

More than the fuchsia funnels breaking out
of the crabapple tree, more than the neighborโ€™s
almost obscene display of cherry limbs shoving
their cotton candy-colored blossoms to the slate
sky of Spring rains, itโ€™s the greening of the trees
that really gets to me. When all the shock of white
and taffy, the worldโ€™s baubles and trinkets, leave
the pavement strewn with the confetti of aftermath,
the leaves come. Patient, plodding, a green skin
growing over whatever winter did to us, a return
to the strange idea of continuous living despite
the mess of us, the hurt, the empty. Fine then,
Iโ€™ll take it, the tree seems to say, a new slick leaf
unfurling like a fist to an open palm, Iโ€™ll take it all.

Copyright ยฉ 2017 by Ada Limรณn.
Originally published in Poem-a-Day on May 15, 2017, by the Academy of American Poets.

ฮ–ฯ‰ฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฎ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ ฮฑฯ†ฮทฮณฮทฮผฮฑฯ„ฮนฮบฮฎฯ‚ ฮนฮฑฯ„ฯฮนฮบฮฎฯ‚: ฮšฯ…ฯฮนฮฑฮบฮฎ 7 ฮ”ฮตฮบฮตฮผฮฒฯฮฏฮฟฯ…, 8:00 ฮผ.ฮผ.ย [EEST]ย ย 

ฮฃฮฑฯ‚ ฮตฯ…ฯ‡ฮฑฯฮนฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯ…ฮผฮผฮตฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฯ„ฮต ฯƒฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎ ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ!โ€จโ€จ 

ฮ–ฯ‰ฮณฯฮฑฯ†ฮนฮบฮฎ: “ฮ˜ฮฌฮปฮฑฯƒฯƒฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮฒฯฮฟฯ‡ฮฎ” (ฮคฮถฮญฮนฮผฯ‚ ฮœฮฑฮบฮฝฮฏฮป ฮ“ฮฟฯ…ฮฏฯƒฯ„ฮปฮตฯ). 

ฮ˜ฮญฮผฮฑ: “ฮ“ฯฮฌฯˆฯ„ฮต ฮณฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ„ฮนฮณฮผฮฎ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮตฮฏฮดฮฑฯ„ฮต ฯ„ฮฟ ฯ„ฮฟฯ€ฮฏฮฟ”.    ฮฃฯฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮผฮฑ ฮธฮฑ ฮผฮฟฮนฯฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯ€ฮตฯฮนฯƒฯƒฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮตฯ‚ ฯ€ฮปฮทฯฮฟฯ†ฮฟฯฮฏฮตฯ‚ ฯƒฯ‡ฮตฯ„ฮนฮบฮฌ ฮผฮต ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ, ฮฟฯ€ฯŒฯ„ฮต ฮผฮตฮฏฮฝฮตฯ„ฮต ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮฝฮนฯƒฮผฮญฮฝฮฟฮน.ฮšฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯŒฯƒฮตฯ‚ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯŒฯƒฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮผฮผฮตฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฯ„ฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮฑฮฝฮฑฯฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮตฯ„ฮต ฯ„ฮฑ ฮบฮตฮฏฮผฮตฮฝฮฌ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฌฯ„ฯ‰ (โ€œLeave a replyโ€) ฮบฮฑฮน ฮฝฮฑ ฮบฯฮฑฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฮถฯ‰ฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฎ ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ„ฯŒฯƒฮฟ ฮตฮฝฮดฮนฮฑฯ†ฮญฯฮฟฯ…ฯƒฮฑ ฯƒฯ…ฮถฮฎฯ„ฮทฯƒฮท. ฮฃฮฑฯ‚ ฯ…ฯ€ฮตฮฝฮธฯ…ฮผฮฏฮถฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฯŒฯ„ฮน ฯ€ฯฯŒฮบฮตฮนฯ„ฮฑฮน ฮณฮนฮฑ ฮดฮทฮผฯŒฯƒฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮปฮฑฯ„ฯ†ฯŒฯฮผฮฑ ฮผฮต ฮฑฮฝฮฟฮนฯ‡ฯ„ฮฎ ฯ€ฯฯŒฯƒฮฒฮฑฯƒฮท.

ฮ˜ฮฑ ฮธฮญฮปฮฑฮผฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฌฮธฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฯ€ฮตฯฮนฯƒฯƒฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ ฮณฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮตฮผฯ€ฮตฮนฯฮฏฮฑ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮผฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮญฯ‚ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮตฯ‚. ฮ‘ฮฝ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮตฯ€ฮนฮธฯ…ฮผฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต, ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฮฑฯ†ฮนฮตฯฯŽฯƒฯ„ฮต ฮปฮฏฮณฮฟ ฯ‡ฯฯŒฮฝฮฟ ฯƒฮต ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯƒฯฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮผฮท ฮญฯฮตฯ…ฮฝฮฑ ฮดฯฮฟ ฮตฯฯ‰ฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮตฯ‰ฮฝSurvey about Narrative Medicine Live Virtual Group Sessions


ฮ–ฯ‰ฮณฯฮฑฯ†ฮนฮบฮฎ: “ฮ˜ฮฌฮปฮฑฯƒฯƒฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮฒฯฮฟฯ‡ฮฎ” (ฮคฮถฮญฮนฮผฯ‚ ฮœฮฑฮบฮฝฮฏฮป ฮ“ฮฟฯ…ฮฏฯƒฯ„ฮปฮตฯ)

ฮคฮถฮญฮนฮผฯ‚ ฮœฮฑฮบฮฝฮฏฮป ฮ“ฮฟฯ…ฮฏฯƒฯ„ฮปฮตฯ


Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EST December 5th 2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we took a close look at the paintingHigh Noon” by Daniela Garcรญa Hamilton, posted below.

Our prompt was:ย โ€œWrite about a table in the wilderness.โ€

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Friday December 12th at 12pm EST, with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessions.

High Noon” by Daniela Garcรญa Hamilton

Credit: Daniela Garcรญa Hamilton


Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EST November 21st 2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read an excerpt from “This is Happiness” by Niall Williams, posted below.

Our prompt was:ย โ€œWrite about when the rain stopped.โ€

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Friday December 5th at 12pm EST, with more times listed on our Live Virtual Group Sessions.

This is Happiness by Niall Williams

Nobody in Faha could remember when it started. Rain there on the western seaboard was a condition of living. It came straight-down and sideways, frontwards, backwards and any other wards God could think of. It came in sweeps, in waves, sometimes in veils. It came dressed as drizzle, as mizzle, as mist, as showers, frequent and widespread, as a wet fog, as a damp day, a drop, a dreeping, and an out-and-out downpour. It came the fine day, the bright day, and the day promised dry. It came at any time of the day and night, and in all seasons, regardless of calendar and forecast, until in Faha your clothes were rain and your skin was rain and your house was rain with a fireplace. It came off the grey vastness of an Atlantic that threw itself against the land like a lover once spurned and resolved not to be so again. It came accompanied by seagulls and smells of salt and seaweed. It came with cold air and curtained light. It came like a judgement, or, in benign version, like a blessing God had forgotten he had left on. It came for a handkerchief of blue sky, came on westerlies, sometimes - why not? - on easterlies, came in clouds that broke their backs on the mountains in Kerry and fell into Clare, making mud the ground and blind the air. It came disguised as hail, as sleet, but never as snow. It came softly sometimes, tenderly sometimes, its spears turned to kisses, in rain that pretended it was not rain, that had come down to be closer to the fields whose green it loved and fostered, until it drowned them. All of which, to attest to the one truth: in Faha, it rained.

Credit: Niall Williams

Live Virtual Group Session: 6PM EDT October 29th 2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read the poem Why Writeย Love Poetry in a Burning Worldย ” by Katie Farris, posted below.

Our prompt was:ย โ€œWrite about a door you cannot close.โ€

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Friday November 21st at 12pm EST, with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessions.

"Why Writeย Love Poetry in a Burning Worldย " by Katie Farris

To train myself to find, in the midst of hell
what isn't hell.

The body, bald, cancerous, but still
beautiful enough to
imagine living the body
washing the body
replacing a loose front
porch step the body chewing
what it takes to keep a body
goingโ€”

This scene has a tune
a language I can read a door
I cannot close I stand
within its wedge
a shield.

Why write love poetry in a burning world?
To train myself, in the midst of a burning world
to offer poems of love to a burning world.

Copyright ยฉ 2022 Katie Farris All rights reserved


Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT October 17th 2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read a poem “I Am Vertical” by Sylvia Plath, posted below.

Our prompt was: โ€œWrite about an open conversation with the sky.โ€

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Wednesday October 29th at 6pm EDT, with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessions.

“I Am Vertical” by Sylvia Plath

But I would rather be horizontal.
I am not a tree with my root in the soil
Sucking up minerals and motherly love
So that each March I may gleam into leaf,
Nor am I the beauty of a garden bed
Attracting my share of Ahs and spectacularly painted,
Unknowing I must soon unpetal.
Compared with me, a tree is immortal
And a flower-head not tall, but more startling,
And I want the one’s longevity and the other’s daring.

Tonight, in the infinitesimal light of the stars,
The trees and flowers have been strewing their cool odors.
I walk among them, but none of them are noticing.
Sometimes I think that when I am sleeping
I must most perfectly resemble themโ€”
Thoughts gone dim.
It is more natural to me, lying down.
Then the sky and I are in open conversation,
And I shall be useful when I lie down finally:
The the trees may touch me for once, and the flowers have time for me.

Credit: Sylvia Plath


Live Virtual Group Session: 6PM EDT October 8th 2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read an excerpt from The Antidote ” by Karen Russell, posted below.

Our prompt was: โ€œTell about a song that has not been lost.โ€

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Friday October 17th at 12pm EDT, with more times listed on our Live Virtual Group Sessions.

The Antidoteย ” by Karen Russell pg.392

Many songs have been lost. But not all songs have been lost.
I breathed in a lungful of dust at the top of the ladder, sinking my fingers into the wet soil. Job ends his
interrogation of God in a great quiet. When I surfaced from my whirlwind, I heard a lot of noisy, irreverent
chirping. Meadowlarks darted around the ruins of my house, skimming the tires of the truck the twister had
flipped onto its back like some colossal beetle. Goldfinches were swooping in and out of the roofless barn
like indecisive stars. Grassland songbirds chorus every morning on the prairie, rain or shine, drought or
flood. Singing at the tops of their tiny lungs and stitching the world together, waking everyone to the work
ahead. But rarely do I pay attention. In the Book of Job, what God reveals inside the whirlwind cannot
be written down. The omission made more sense to me now, listening to birdsong. Already, God has
translated the answer into everything living. It was Job’s ears that needed tuning. The whirlwind gave Job
a powerful instruction, and so did the great quiet it left in its wake. The silence of God is not so silent after
all. It is teaching me how to listen.

Credit: Karen Russell


ฮ–ฯ‰ฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฎ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ ฮฑฯ†ฮทฮณฮทฮผฮฑฯ„ฮนฮบฮฎฯ‚ ฮนฮฑฯ„ฯฮนฮบฮฎฯ‚: ฮ”ฮตฯ…ฯ„ฮญฯฮฑ 6 ฮŸฮบฯ„ฯ‰ฮฒฯฮฏฮฟฯ…, 8:00 ฮผ.ฮผ.ย [EEST]ย ย 

ฮฃฮฑฯ‚ ฮตฯ…ฯ‡ฮฑฯฮนฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯ…ฮผฮผฮตฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฯ„ฮต ฯƒฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎ ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ!โ€จโ€จ

ฮšฮตฮฏฮผฮตฮฝฮฟ: ฮœฮฌฮนฮบฮป ฮŸฮฝฯ„ฮฌฮฑฯ„ฮถฮต, ฮŸ ฮ†ฮณฮณฮปฮฟฯ‚ ฮฑฯƒฮธฮตฮฝฮฎฯ‚ (ฮฑฯ€ฯŒฯƒฯ€ฮฑฯƒฮผฮฑ ฯƒฮต ฮผฮตฯ„ฮฌฯ†ฯฮฑฯƒฮท ฮ†ฮฝฮฝฮฑฯ‚ ฮ ฮฑฯ€ฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮฑฯฯฮฟฯ… ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฮ•ฮบฮดฯŒฯƒฮตฮนฯ‚ ฮ ฮฑฯ„ฮฌฮบฮท, 2018).

ฮ˜ฮญฮผฮฑ: ฮ“ฯฮฌฯˆฯ„ฮต ฮณฮนฮฑ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฯ‡ฯŽฯฮฟ ฯ†ฯฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฏฮดฮฑฯ‚.

ฮฃฯฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮผฮฑ ฮธฮฑ ฮผฮฟฮนฯฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯ€ฮตฯฮนฯƒฯƒฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮตฯ‚ ฯ€ฮปฮทฯฮฟฯ†ฮฟฯฮฏฮตฯ‚ ฯƒฯ‡ฮตฯ„ฮนฮบฮฌ ฮผฮต ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ, ฮฟฯ€ฯŒฯ„ฮต ฮผฮตฮฏฮฝฮตฯ„ฮต ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮฝฮนฯƒฮผฮญฮฝฮฟฮน.

ฮšฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯŒฯƒฮตฯ‚ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯŒฯƒฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮผฮผฮตฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฯ„ฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮฑฮฝฮฑฯฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮตฯ„ฮต ฯ„ฮฑ ฮบฮตฮฏฮผฮตฮฝฮฌ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฌฯ„ฯ‰ (โ€œLeave a replyโ€) ฮบฮฑฮน ฮฝฮฑ ฮบฯฮฑฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฮถฯ‰ฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฎ ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ„ฯŒฯƒฮฟ ฮตฮฝฮดฮนฮฑฯ†ฮญฯฮฟฯ…ฯƒฮฑ ฯƒฯ…ฮถฮฎฯ„ฮทฯƒฮท. ฮฃฮฑฯ‚ ฯ…ฯ€ฮตฮฝฮธฯ…ฮผฮฏฮถฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฯŒฯ„ฮน ฯ€ฯฯŒฮบฮตฮนฯ„ฮฑฮน ฮณฮนฮฑ ฮดฮทฮผฯŒฯƒฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮปฮฑฯ„ฯ†ฯŒฯฮผฮฑ ฮผฮต ฮฑฮฝฮฟฮนฯ‡ฯ„ฮฎ ฯ€ฯฯŒฯƒฮฒฮฑฯƒฮท.

ฮ˜ฮฑ ฮธฮญฮปฮฑฮผฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฌฮธฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฯ€ฮตฯฮนฯƒฯƒฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ ฮณฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮตฮผฯ€ฮตฮนฯฮฏฮฑ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮผฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮญฯ‚ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮตฯ‚. ฮ‘ฮฝ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮตฯ€ฮนฮธฯ…ฮผฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต, ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฮฑฯ†ฮนฮตฯฯŽฯƒฯ„ฮต ฮปฮฏฮณฮฟ ฯ‡ฯฯŒฮฝฮฟ ฯƒฮต ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯƒฯฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮผฮท ฮญฯฮตฯ…ฮฝฮฑ ฮดฯฮฟ ฮตฯฯ‰ฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮตฯ‰ฮฝhttps://tinyurl.com/nmedg-survey


ฮœฮฌฮนฮบฮป ฮŸฮฝฯ„ฮฌฮฑฯ„ฮถฮต, ฮŸ ฮ†ฮณฮณฮปฮฟฯ‚ ฮ‘ฯƒฮธฮตฮฝฮฎฯ‚ (ฮฑฯ€ฯŒฯƒฯ€ฮฑฯƒฮผฮฑ). ฮœฮตฯ„ฮฌฯ†ฯฮฑฯƒฮท: ฮ†ฮฝฮฝฮฑ ฮ ฮฑฯ€ฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮฑฯฯฮฟฯ… (ฮ•ฮบฮดฯŒฯƒฮตฮนฯ‚ ฮ ฮฑฯ„ฮฌฮบฮท 2018)

ฮฃฮคฮŸฮ ฮšฮ—ฮ ฮŸ, ฯŒฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮดฮฟฯฮปฮตฯ…ฮต ฯ‰ฯ‚ ฯ„ฯŽฯฮฑ, ฮนฯƒฮนฯŽฮฝฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮฟฯฮผฮฏ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮบฮฟฮนฯ„ฮฌฮถฮตฮน ฯ€ฮญฯฮฑ ฮผฮฑฮบฯฮนฮฌ. ฮˆฯ‡ฮตฮน ฮฑฮนฯƒฮธฮฑฮฝฮธฮตฮฏ ฮผฮนฮฑ ฮฑฮปฮปฮฑฮณฮฎ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮบฮฑฮนฯฮฟฯ. ฮšฮน ฮฌฮปฮปฮท ฯฮนฯ€ฮฎ ฮฑฮญฯฮฑ, ฮญฮฝฮฑฯ‚ ฮฑฮฝฮตฯ€ฮฑฮฏฯƒฮธฮทฯ„ฮฟฯ‚ ฮธฯŒฯฯ…ฮฒฮฟฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮฑฯ„ฮผฯŒฯƒฯ†ฮฑฮนฯฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮฑ ฯˆฮทฮปฮฌ ฮบฯ…ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฏฯƒฯƒฮนฮฑ ฯƒฮตฮฏฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮน. ฮ“ฯ…ฯฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฮบฮน ฮฑฮฝฮทฯ†ฮฟฯฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮปฯŒฯ†ฮฟ ฯ€ฯฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟ ฯƒฯ€ฮฏฯ„ฮน, ฯƒฮบฮฑฯฯ†ฮฑฮปฯŽฮฝฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฌฮฝฯ‰ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯ‡ฮฑฮผฮทฮปฮฎ ฮผฮฌฮฝฯ„ฯฮฑ, ฮฝฮนฯŽฮธฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฯ‚ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฯ€ฯฯŽฯ„ฮตฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮฑฮณฯŒฮฝฮตฯ‚ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฮฒฯฮฟฯ‡ฮฎฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮฑ ฮณฯ…ฮผฮฝฮฌ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฯ‡ฮญฯฮนฮฑ. ฮ”ฮนฮฑฯƒฯ‡ฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฮบฮตฯ€ฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮฎ ฮฒฮตฯฮฌฮฝฯ„ฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮผฯ€ฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฮณฯฮฎฮณฮฟฯฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฯƒฯ€ฮฏฯ„ฮน.

ฮฃฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮบฮฟฯ…ฮถฮฏฮฝฮฑ ฮดฮต ฯƒฯ„ฮฑฮผฮฑฯ„ฮฌฮตฮน, ฯ„ฮท ฮดฮนฮฑฯƒฯ‡ฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฮบฮน ฮฑฮฝฮตฮฒฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฯƒฮบฮฌฮปฮตฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฯƒฮบฮฟฯ„ฮฌฮดฮน ฮบฮน ฮญฯ€ฮตฮนฯ„ฮฑ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฯ‡ฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฮบฮฑฯ„ฮฌ ฮผฮฎฮบฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮผฮฑฮบฯฯŒฯƒฯ„ฮตฮฝฮฟฯ… ฯ‡ฮฟฮป, ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮฒฮฌฮธฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮฟฯ€ฮฟฮฏฮฟฯ… ฯ†ฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฯ„ฮฑฮน ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯƒฮบฮปฮฎฮธฯฮฑ ฯ†ฯ‰ฯ‚ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฮผฮนฮฑ ฮฑฮฝฮฟฮนฯ‡ฯ„ฮฎ ฯ€ฯŒฯฯ„ฮฑ.

ฮคฯŽฯฮฑ ฮผฯ€ฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮดฯ‰ฮผฮฌฯ„ฮนฮฟ, ฯ„ฮฟ ฮฟฯ€ฮฟฮฏฮฟ ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮตฯ€ฮฏฯƒฮทฯ‚ ฮบฮฎฯ€ฮฟฯ‚ โ€“ ฮบฮฑฮผฯ‰ฮผฮญฮฝฮฟฯ‚ ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฯŒฯ‚ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฮดฮญฮฝฯ„ฯฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮบฮปฮทฮผฮฑฯ„ฮฑฯฮนฮญฯ‚ ฮถฯ‰ฮณฯฮฑฯ†ฮนฯƒฮผฮญฮฝฮตฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฮฏฯ‡ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮบฮฑฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฯ„ฮฑฮฒฮฌฮฝฮน. ฮŸ ฮฌฮฝฯ„ฯฮฑฯ‚ ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮพฮฑฯ€ฮปฯ‰ฮผฮญฮฝฮฟฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฯฮตฮฒฮฌฯ„ฮน, ฯ„ฮฟ ฯƒฯŽฮผฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮตฮบฯ„ฮตฮธฮตฮนฮผฮญฮฝฮฟ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮฑฮตฯฮฌฮบฮน ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮตฯ†ฮฌฮปฮน ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮณฯ…ฯฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฯ€ฯฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮผฮญฯฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚, ฮบฮฑฮธฯŽฯ‚ ฮตฮบฮตฮฏฮฝฮท ฮผฯ€ฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฮผฮญฯƒฮฑ.

ฮšฮฌฮธฮต ฯ„ฮญฯƒฯƒฮตฯฮนฯ‚ ฮผฮญฯฮตฯ‚, ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฯ€ฮปฮญฮฝฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฮผฮฑฯ…ฯฮนฯƒฮผฮญฮฝฮฟ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯŽฮผฮฑ, ฮฑฯฯ‡ฮฏฮถฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฯ‚ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮบฮฑฯ„ฮตฯƒฯ„ฯฮฑฮผฮผฮญฮฝฮฑ ฯ€ฯŒฮดฮนฮฑ. ฮ’ฯฮญฯ‡ฮตฮน ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮตฯ„ฯƒฮญฯ„ฮฑ ฯ€ฯฮฟฯƒฯŽฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮบฮฑฮน, ฮบฯฮฑฯ„ฯŽฮฝฯ„ฮฑฯ‚ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ€ฮฌฮฝฯ‰ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฮฑฯƒฯ„ฯฮฑฮณฮฌฮปฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…, ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ„ฯฮฒฮตฮน ฮผฮฟฯ…ฯƒฮบฮตฯฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฌฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯƒฮทฮบฯŽฮฝฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮผฮฌฯ„ฮนฮฑ ฯˆฮทฮปฮฌ, ฮตฮฝฯŽ ฮตฮบฮตฮฏฮฝฮฟฯ‚ ฮผฮฟฯ…ฯฮผฮฟฯ…ฯฮฏฮถฮตฮน, ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮฒฮปฮญฯ€ฮตฮน ฮฝฮฑ ฯ‡ฮฑฮผฮฟฮณฮตฮปฮฌฮตฮน. ฮ ฮฌฮฝฯ‰ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฮบฮฝฮฎฮผฮตฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮตฮณฮบฮฑฯฮผฮฑฯ„ฮฑ ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฯ‡ฮตฮนฯฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ. ฮœฮฟฮฒ ฮบฮน ฮฑฮบฯŒฮผฮฑ ฯ‡ฮตฮนฯฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ. ฮšฯŒฮบฮฑฮปฮฑ.

ฮคฮฟฮฝ ฮญฯ‡ฮตฮน ฯ†ฯฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฏฯƒฮตฮน ฮณฮนฮฑ ฮผฮฎฮฝฮตฯ‚ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮณฮฝฯ‰ฯฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฯƒฯŽฮผฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮปฮฌ, ฯ„ฮฟ ฯ€ฮญฮฟฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮบฮฟฮนฮผฮฌฯ„ฮฑฮน ฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฮนฯ€ฯ€ฯŒฮบฮฑฮผฯ€ฮฟฯ‚, ฯ„ฮฑ ฮปฮตฯ€ฯ„ฮฌ ฯƒฯ†ฮนฯ‡ฯ„ฮฌ ฮนฯƒฯ‡ฮฏฮฑ. ฮคฮฑ ฮนฯƒฯ‡ฮฏฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮงฯฮนฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯ, ฯƒฮบฮญฯ†ฯ„ฮตฯ„ฮฑฮน. ฮ•ฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮฟ ฮฑฯ€ฮตฮปฯ€ฮนฯƒฮผฮญฮฝฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฮฌฮณฮนฮฟฯ‚. ฮšฮตฮฏฯ„ฮตฯ„ฮฑฮน ฮฑฮฝฮฌฯƒฮบฮตฮปฮฑ, ฯ‡ฯ‰ฯฮฏฯ‚ ฮผฮฑฮพฮนฮปฮฌฯฮน, ฮบฮฟฮนฯ„ฮฌฮถฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฯ‚ ฯˆฮทฮปฮฌ, ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฯ†ฯ…ฮปฮปฯ‰ฯƒฮนฮญฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮถฯ‰ฮณฯฮฑฯ†ฮนฯƒฮผฮญฮฝฮตฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฯ„ฮฑฮฒฮฌฮฝฮน, ฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฮธฯŒฮปฮฟฯ‚ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฮบฮปฮฑฮดฮนฮฌ, ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ€ฮฌฮฝฯ‰ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮญฯ‚, ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮณฮฑฮปฮฌฮถฮนฮฟ ฮฟฯ…ฯฮฑฮฝฯŒ.

ฮ‘ฯ€ฮปฯŽฮฝฮตฮน ฯ€ฮฟฮผฮฌฮดฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮปฮฑฮผฮฏฮฝฮทฯ‚, ฯƒฮต ฮปฯ‰ฯฮฏฮดฮตฯ‚, ฯ€ฮฌฮฝฯ‰ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฯƒฯ„ฮฎฮธฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…, ฯŒฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮปฮนฮณฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮฟ ฮบฮฑฮผฮญฮฝฮฟฯ‚, ฯŒฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮผฯ€ฮฟฯฮตฮฏ ฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮฑฮณฮณฮฏฮพฮตฮน. ฮ›ฮฑฯ„ฯฮตฯฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮฟฮฏฮปฯ‰ฮผฮฑ ฮบฮฌฯ„ฯ‰ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ„ฮตฮปฮตฯ…ฯ„ฮฑฮฏฮฑ ฯ€ฮปฮตฯ…ฯฮฌ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…, ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮผฮนฮบฯฯŒ ฯƒฮฌฯฮบฮนฮฝฮฟ ฮณฮบฯฮตฮผฯŒ. ฮฆฯ„ฮฌฮฝฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯŽฮผฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…, ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฯ†ฯ…ฯƒฮฌฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮฑฯ…ฯ‡ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮดฯฮฟฯƒฮฏฯƒฮตฮน ฮบฮน ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฯŒฯ‚ ฮบฮฌฯ„ฮน ฯˆฮตฮปฮปฮฏฮถฮตฮน.

ยซฮคฮน;ยป ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฯฯ‰ฯ„ฮฌฮตฮน, ฮบฮฑฮธฯŽฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮญฯฯ‡ฮตฯ„ฮฑฮน ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฟฯƒฯ…ฮณฮบฮญฮฝฯ„ฯฯ‰ฯƒฮฎ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚.

ฮ‘ฯ…ฯ„ฯŒฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฯฮญฯ†ฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฯƒฮบฮฟฯ„ฮตฮนฮฝฯŒ ฯ€ฯฯŒฯƒฯ‰ฯ€ฯŒ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮผฮต ฯ„ฮฑ ฮณฮบฯฮฏฮถฮฑ ฮผฮฌฯ„ฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฯฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮผฮญฯฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚. ฮ’ฮฌฮถฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฯ‡ฮญฯฮน ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ„ฯƒฮญฯ€ฮท ฯ„ฮทฯ‚. ฮžฮตฯ†ฮปฮฟฯ…ฮดฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฮดฮฑฮผฮฌฯƒฮบฮทฮฝฮฟ ฮผฮต ฯ„ฮฑ ฮดฯŒฮฝฯ„ฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚, ฮฑฯ†ฮฑฮนฯฮตฮฏ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮฟฯ…ฮบฮฟฯฯ„ฯƒฮน ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ€ฮปฮทฯƒฮนฮฌฮถฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฯƒฯ„ฯŒฮผฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฮฌฯฮบฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮบฮฑฯฯ€ฮฟฯ.

ฮ•ฮบฮตฮฏฮฝฮฟฯ‚ ฯˆฮนฮธฯ…ฯฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฯ€ฮฌฮปฮน, ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฯƒฮญฯฮฝฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฯ‚ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ€ฯฮฟฯƒฮทฮปฯ‰ฮผฮญฮฝฮท ฮบฮฑฯฮดฮนฮฌ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฮฝฮตฮฑฯฮฎฯ‚ ฮฝฮฟฯƒฮฟฮบฯŒฮผฮฑฯ‚ ฮตฮบฮตฮฏ ฯŒฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮฒฯฮฏฯƒฮบฮตฯ„ฮฑฮน ฮฟ ฮฝฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…, ฮผฮญฯƒฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฯ€ฮทฮณฮฌฮดฮน ฯ„ฯ‰ฮฝ ฮฑฮฝฮฑฮผฮฝฮฎฯƒฮตฯ‰ฮฝ ฯŒฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮฒฯ…ฮธฮนฮถฯŒฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฮฑฮดฮนฮฌฮบฮฟฯ€ฮฑ ฯŒฮปฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฮตฮบฮตฮฏฮฝฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฮผฮฎฮฝฮตฯ‚ ฯ€ฯฮฟฯ„ฮฟฯ ฯ€ฮตฮธฮฌฮฝฮตฮน.


Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT September 19th 2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read a poem In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa” by Ada Limรณn, posted below.

Our prompt was: โ€œWrite about a small invisible world.โ€

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Wednesday October 8th at 12pm EDT, with more times listed on our Live Virtual Group Sessions.

In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa by Ada Limรณn

Arching under the night sky inky
with black expansiveness, we point
to the planets we know, we

pin quick wishes on stars. From earth,
we read the sky as if it is an unerring book
of the universe, expert and evident.

Still, there are mysteries below our sky:
the whale song, the songbird singing
its call in the bough of a wind-shaken tree.

We are creatures of constant awe,
curious at beauty, at leaf and blossom,
at grief and pleasure, sun and shadow.

And it is not darkness that unites us,
not the cold distance of space, but
the offering of water, each drop of rain,

each rivulet, each pulse, each vein.
O second moon, we, too, are made
of water, of vast and beckoning seas.

We, too, are made of wonders, of great
and ordinary loves, of small invisible worlds,
of a need to call out through the dark.

โ€œIn Praise of Mysteryโ€ by Ada Limรณn was released at the Library of Congress on June 1, 2023, in celebration of the poemโ€™s engraving on NASAโ€™s Europa Clipper, scheduled to launch in October of 2024. Copyright Ada Limรณn, 2023. All rights reserved. The reproduction of this poem may in no way be used for financial gain.

Live Virtual Group Session: 6PM EDT September 10th 2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read a poem “Classifiedsby Wislawaย Szymborska, posted below.

Our prompt was:ย โ€œWrite your own classified.โ€

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Friday September 19th at 12pm EDT, with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessions.

Classifieds by Wislawaย Szymborska

WHOEVER'S found out what location
compassion (heart's imagination)
can be contacted at these days,
is herewith urged to name the place;
and sing about it in full voice,
and dance like crazy and rejoice
beneath the frail birch that appears
to be upon the verge of tears.

I TEACH silence
in all languages
through intensive examination of:
the starry sky,
the Sinanthropus' jaws,
a grasshopper's hop,
an infant's fingernails,
plankton,
a snowflake.

I RESTORE lost love.
Act now! Special offer!
You lie on last year's grass
bathed in sunlight to the chin
while winds of summers past
caress your hair and seem
to lead you in a dance.
For further details, write: "Dream."

WANTED: someone to mourn
the elderly who die
alone in old folks' homes.
Applicants, don't send forms
or birth certificates.
All papers will be torn,
no receipts will be issued
at this or later dates.

FOR PROMISES made by my spouse,
who's tricked so many with his sweet
colors and fragrances and sounds --
dogs barking, guitars in the streets --
into believing that they still
might conquer loneliness and fright,
I cannot be responsible.
Mr. Day's widow, Mrs. Night.

Credit: Wislawa Szymborska
English version by Clare Cavanagh and Stanislaw Baranczak
Original Language Polish
poetry-chaikhana.com