Carol A. Hand
Listening deeply as I greet morning in the city
The sounds of life are not those that ease my soul
Ringing in my ears from so many cables
thankfully muting the constant drone of rushing traffic
ever busy snowplows grinding and scraping ice
the rumble and whistle of a passing train
echoing off the western ridge
***
***
I realize to survive I must learn to listen deeper still
to hear the sound of silence and song within
In time such as these one can’t expect peace otherwise
***
Voices from the Margins 
Beautifully penned Carol. Your words were calming for me, especially the distant train whistle.
Have you ever noticed when you move from one place to another especially from a quiet rural setting to a more noisey city area that after a period of adjustment you don’t even hear the noise any more.
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Thank you for your lovely comments, Patricia. I’m not sure I’ll ever be comfortable with the noises of the city, but I really only notice them when I take time to be still. When I’m working on a project, I’m always so focused that I lose track of time and place. I don’t see or hear what’s around me. I forget to eat, and even, I fear, forget to blink when I’m on the computer for hours. But it is true that I no longer listen for sounds that signaled something that needed to be tended in the past – like the surge of the generator every time the water pump went on when I lived off the grid, or the howling of coyotes in the night when it was time to turn off that generator. Still, the noises of the city inspire me to reflect about a lot of things I might never consider otherwise. 🙂
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Beautifully written, Carol and catching the cacophony of modern life and your wisdom of finding the deeper stillness beneath the noisy surface. Your poem sent me to Eckhard Tolle’s ‘Stillness Speaks’ and his reflection on noise.
‘Any disturbing noise can be as helpful as silence. How? By dropping our inner resistance to the noise by allowing it to be as it is, this acceptance also takes you into that realm of inner peace that is stillness.’ Wise words indeed, that are applicable in many circumstances but not all I feel!
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Thank you for such thoughtful comments, Annika, and for sharing Eckhard Tolle’s profound insights about noise and silence. I suspect our ability to rise above annoyance sometimes depends on context. This morning, the sun was out, the day was warmer, and the course my friend and I had struggled to design was finally posted online. Maybe someday, I’ll be able to find inner peace in more challenging contexts. 🙂
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Another skill we must master, meditation – which your lovely poem expresses so elegantly.
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Thank you for sharing your thoughtful comments and insights, JoAnn. ❤
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Hi Carol, the noise of the city must be like a river running by. Once heard it is gone. Left with the next sound coming down. It is the wilderness we hear, regardless of river canyon or city street. Take care. Bob
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It’s strange, Bob, but when I listen deeply to the noises of the city, my thoughts do transport me to other times surrounded by the peace of nature.
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That feeling is a thousand years of our ancestors keeping us safe. It is up to us to do the same for our children. It is hard work and a stiff responsibility considering our short time. To be part of something that goes on is incredibly special. Stay safe. Bob
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Wise and lovely insights, Bob. Chi miigwetch..
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Thank you, Carol, in Ktunaxa thank you also means ‘stand your ground’
ȼmak̓ kiⱡwikiⱡ
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🙂
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Beautiful thoughts, Carola. As Joan puts it – meditation. Not sure we settlers have the history of being hept safe by OUR ancestors… other than from a nuclear family perspective. We need to preserve/resurrect that seven generations perspective. Talk about an idea needing protection and promotion!
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Bob, these are such important insights about the need to contemplate our lives from a broader, more inclusive perspective. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and kind words. 🙂
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