Posted: March 4, 2024   •   Posted in: Discussions, Faith, Reflections

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A Poetry Workshop on the theme of Light

The theme of L/light

Recently we were visited by the pleasingly alliterative Patricia Peters of Pakefield Quaker meeting.  Patricia, a published poet (here we go again) led us in a workshop-style session, in which she encouraged us to think about the theme of ‘L/light’ and to express our thoughts on paper.

Patricia opened the session by reading two of her own poems – the first about Pakefield Meeting House, and the other entitled ‘Light’. This she wrote specifically for the session. This poem helped to focus our thinking on the ways in which the word ‘light’ is used, both within Quakers and more generally.

Light

So many meanings

To ignite, illuminate

And the Quaker saying

To hold someone in the Light.

 

To be light weight, light hearted

Sparse, like a light lunch

Easily disturbed, a light sleeper

Pray tell me

Does it help to be held in the Light?

 

A light bulb moment

A light illness, easily endured

A light sentence, too lenient for the crime

Did someone hold him in the Light?

 

Light of the World

To see the light

Feeling dizzy, light-headed

To be held in the Light

Does that make it better?

 

What do you do when you hold

Someone there?

Visualise them surrounded in a warm glow

Are you saying a prayer or is it an end in itself?

 

Perhaps you are praying

Practical help might be of more use

Do you say that for people who are not your Friends?

The world’s hungry, frightened, living in a war zone.

 

Please tell me what you mean

Before I make the request

To hold me in the Light.

Patricia Peters

Finding the inner poet

Patricia invited us to spend a short time considering our own response to the Quaker phrase ‘being held in the light’.  We noted down our thoughts. Then, if we felt comfortable, we shared in pairs.

By this time we’d really warmed to the theme, and we’d all managed to note down some ideas.  Patricia then suggested that we might like to try to construct a poem from our notes.  Some of us clearly felt more comfortable with the creative process than others but Patricia was really sensitive to this.  She assured us that there would be absolutely no pressure to share our ‘creations’ with the group if we didn’t want to.  We were invited to work alone or in pairs, however we felt most comfortable.

In the last 5 or 10 minutes of the session, we were given the opportunity to share our thoughts or work.  Given the limited amount of time that we had to write – the whole session being only 45 minutes long – the ideas and work that participants were able to create was amazing.  Some Friends had carried on adding to their lists of responses to ‘light’ and ‘being held in the light’. Others had come up with ideas for poems that they intended to take home and work on. Some even managed to create whole poems in that short time.

Going forward

It felt as though we all enjoyed the challenge of trying to express our thoughts and feelings in a different, and to most, an unfamiliar way.  Patricia knew how to encourage us to get the best out of ourselves.  Patricia’s approach was gentle. She allowed even Friends who had been wary of the idea of attempting to write their own poetry, to feel comfortable in participating fully with the session.  The feedback afterwards was very positive.

As well as being a talented poet, Patricia clearly has a skill for facilitating sessions and we look forward to her return, later in the year. Many of us found ourselves inspired. We therefore hope to share our own ‘Light’ themed poems in coming newsletters and/or articles.

Marina (Beccles Quaker Meeting)