On poetry

Here is one of my favorite poems. Heard it the first time spoken by David Whyte at a Center for Creative Leadership meeting.

My heart rouses
Thinking to bring you news
Of something
That concerns you
And concerns many men. Look at
What passes for the new.
You will not find it there but in
Despised poems.
It is difficult
To get the news from poems
Yet men die miserably every day
For lack
Of what is found there.

by William Carlos Williams, taken from
p. 16, The Hart Aroused: Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America by David Whyte, 1994, Doubleday.

Little more upbeat

Look inside
What’s going on
Think of good things
Drawing you on

Things to be learned
Things to be done
Walking with others
Very fine ones

Think of the joy
When things come together
Sharpen each other
Get better and better

Think of the times
When challenges huge
Felt overwhelming
Tempted to kluge

Remember those times
With no way to pass
They did open up
Like very long grass

So hold on securely
The hope to complete
There will be a finish
With you on your feet

©1/29/08, Glenn

Some thoughts on the intuitive general

Too much to do?

Is it possible God
That in this state
I might cross over
To a place that is safe

A place of peace
In the eye of the storm
Not yielding to pressure
To worry or morn

So many things
Wanting my say
The intuitive general
Holding the day

“Don’t let it go
“Need some more time
“What of this data
“More hills to be mined

Can you not see
Your building a cage
As the things you must do
Fill up the page

The urgent is pushing
The good things away
Letting them slip
To some future day

The things that do matter
Move further out
Make each day busy
With little clout

The horizon gets shorter
With each passing day
I seem to be holding
The promise at bay

The bondage gets tighter
The thoughts do not work
The ways of the past
Have little worth

So be ye encouraged
The box that your in
Is made for development
Find new ways to win

Oh God of the universe
You ordered things right
Open my ears
To ageless advice

Show me the ways
To reframe what is
That I may pass through
This development quiz

You know that embedded
Deep in my being
The need to contribute
To leave something keen

I’ve stated my case
I’ll say one thing more
I choose to believe
You will open the door.

©1/28,08, Glenn

Just for fun

I love you son
There is a quest
To walk on earth
To do your best
To rest in me
Share my zest
Recognize
My way is best

Open up
Your eyes to grace
Take your place
Within the race
That godly men
And woman face.

©1/26/08, Glenn Mehltretter

A quantum change

This week looks like it will be a good time for reflection. With that in mind:

A very peaceful time
Days are good … weathers fine
Deep inside there’s work anew
Sorting out
Planning too.

Roots of pressure
Have no right
To push on me
Drain insight
For God’s inside
I’m royal born
He has a plan
On me it dawns.

Yet spirit knows the pressure’s source
The hook that’s there must go. . .
in course
For faith is now
I call it forth

I’m one with God in present time
In flow and fellowship divine
To walk with purpose on the earth
Creating everlasting worth.

Oh God, where is that quantum leap?
The power is there
The knowledge deep
Release me now to walk as thee
Everlasting to be free

©1/21/08, Glenn Mehltretter

Abide in his love...

I’ve had a week’s gap in posting, and for good reason. Last week I attended client meetings. I saw executive work being done that was among the highest quality that I have seen in my career -- a real thrill.

We are getting ready to attend another series of meetings, more in line with spiritual renewal. With that in mind consider this…

Abide in his love
Rest in his presence
Warmed by his touch
Graced by his essence

Be in a place
Of glory and grace
Rest with the King
Let your heart sing

What is required
To let his love flow
Drive darkness back
With the strength
of his glow

The glory that shines
In the face of his son
Is living within you
Yes, every one.

©1/19/08, Glenn Mehltretter

Do you fit?

It has continued to be a busy time. Here are two shorts that are likely prompted by circumstances.

Am I kidding my self
All out of place
Trying to do
What I really can’t face

Thinking I’m A
When I really am B
Pushing ahead
Perhaps I’m a C

Yet much that I do
Is really a fit
Rewarding to do
Worth every bit!

©1/9/08, Glenn Mehltretter

-----------

Simplify, simplify
There must be a way
For time to just be
For peace in the day

The older I get
The further I’ve come
To know there’s a place
Of fit for each one.

©1/10/08, Glenn Mehltretter

Einstein on the intuitive

Michelle sent the following link. Much of the coaching work has been around contrasting the characteristics of the “intuitive general” with those of the “logical lieutenant”. Thanks Michelle.

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift
And the rational mind is a faithful servant.
We have created a society that honours the servant
And has forgotten the gift—Albert Einstein

Development occurs...

When your values and thinking patterns no longer provide solutions for today’s challenges.

This morning as I wake
The myriad of things
Just to keep afloat
I need my heart to sing

Find that centered place
In spite of what surrounds
In touch with deepest life
Find goodness all around

The fountain in our heart
When flowing out of us
Brings forth very life
Change circumstance and us

At times it is a challenge
Choose the living path
Turn from heavy thoughts
Its life that’s in your grasp

©1/8/08, Glenn Mehltretter

Primitive thoughts

This weeks coaching assignment deals with discovering underlying assumptions, that have been built into my thinking, but don't make sense.

What do I believe
The nature of my God
How he works with me
Explain the earth
My part

How would one begin
To frame the thoughts behind
To understand the rules
Applied in deepest mind

What do I assume
Concerning how things work
Take as very truth
Without a slight alert

© 1/7/08, Glenn Mehltretter

Things have changed and stayed the same

Been thinking about those of us, members of human kind, who have not yet encountered the God of goodness and love. While the average level of development of human kind has been increasing, the core question is still the same -- it just looks different because the methods of seeking the answer change wih level of development.


Adventure great
In time of old
When men were brave
And actions bold

Attribution
To their God
Superstition
Rule -- the rod

Things have changed
In many places
Still their brave
Show strong faces

Split they are
To source of strength
Is it themselves
Or God of rank

Does life go on
A random base
Or is their God
With plan in place

Is their one
Who knows it all
With good in mind
Restore from fall

Or is it just
A random thing
With no purpose
With no king

For those of us
Who’ve touched the one
A settled issue
Its become

For those of us
Who still reach out
He is faithful
Won’t leave us out

For true to heart
The message is
Find your purpose
Flow with his

Follow simply
The inner voice
True to you
Make that choice

Transformation
Will take place
For we will find
The place of grace

© 1/5/08, Glenn Mehltretter

Busy days...

Relax my son and be at rest
For serving me is always best
And when the task is fully done
You and I will be as one.

©11/24/06

The Lord of love
Is in my heart
The one who made it
All to start

With promises he left us here
To take his place and make it clear
That love rules all and evil fails
When in our heart his life prevails.

©11/25/06, Glenn

New years eve 2008

Had an interesting experience last evening. Eleven of us, and a bunch of kids, came together to share some of the ways God intersected our lives in the past year. As people were sharing some verses came to mind. As I would write the verses the content of the next speaker would aligned with the just written verses -- interesting.

New Years Eve 2008

Thank you Lord
For mercy and grace
Times of beauty
Find our place
Walk together
Hand in hand
Growing up
To know your plan

Not a solo
Place to be
But joined together
To be free

Your spirit dwells
Within our hearts
Showing us
The other parts

My spirit will
Show you the way
To walk in fullness
For today
In fullness of my
Perfect plan
Your part revealed
By gentle hand
______________

I’ll bring you to
Your special place
Part of the larger
Work of grace

My body will
Behave as one
Needed for
The job be done

For in the end
All things will be
Brought together
Fully free
______________

Show us Oh Lord
Our place to go
Your holy purpose
Not for show

Replace with truth
The things we think
Draw us higher
Make complete

©12/31/07, Glenn Mehltretter