Aug 05
Guest post: Which one is for you? by James Bonser
James has been corresponding with me for a few months now. He has also been generous enough to reply to many of the postings on this site. Today he sent me this poem. Normally I keep poems solely for the news letter. This one, however touched me deeply by its innocence as well as its simple and gentle wisdom. I would like it read by anyone who drops into my website. It transpires that James wrote this much earlier on his ‘road’, twenty years ago in fact. I hope you are touched also.
Which one is for you? by James Bonser
“There are many roads to heaven,” a wise man told to me.
“There are many ways to travel, which one shall yours be?”
If there are many roads to heaven, yet the goal remains the same.
Does it matter the road I travel? does it matter how I came?
The wise man spoke so softly, the love just filled his eyes -
“No! it really doesn`t matter, yet best to travel wise.
You see, some roads go in circles, others simply straight.
Many take you quickly, while others make you wait.
Some roads they travel upwards, others always down.
Some will take a scenic route, while others pass through town.
There are roads that reek of sadness, tearing at your heart.
There are roads that go for ever, and some that never start.
They’re roads so dark and lonely, with danger on every side.
These roads will leave you open, with not a place to hide.
Yet all these roads are chosen,” said the wise man once again.
“They’re chosen by the traveller, yet the goal remains the same.
There are roads with many travellers, and roads where there’s just you.
But the travellers you travel with, will never see your view.”
I think about these lessons, the wise man taught to me.
Of the many roads to travel, and which one should it be.
And so I travel daily, yet the the road is not the same.
Some days I choose the sunshine, some days I choose the rain.
I’ve now become well travelled, with the memory of his voice.
That no road is forever, when your journey comes from choice.
And now I travel onwards, while I pray for wisdom too,
to know the road I travel. Which one is for you?
James.
August 15th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Reminds me so much of Matthew Fox and the four ‘vias’ (Via Positiva, Via Negativa, Via Creativa and Via Transformativa).
August 20th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
I must thank you for your comment, concerning my poem but I have to confess, you have me at a disadvantage. I dont think I`ve read any of Matthew Fox and then again I don`t think he has read too much of mine either. I am sure the situation can be remedied from my stand point, if you can send a title of any publication of his, then I can try to obtain it. I feel my poetry is primitive but it gets said what I need it to say, whether the reader feels the same can only be left up to the reader.