How to Listen by James A. Pearson
How to Listen
James A. PearsonI’m not asking you
to come down here
and clean out the muddy
corners of my life.I’m asking you
to be a forest
where mud and leaves,
shadows and light,
growth and decay
all have their unquestioned
belonging.I’m asking you
to be an ocean,
where even great storms
don’t trouble the depths
and each tear is welcomed
as a homecoming.I’m asking you
to be as spacious
as the vast darkness
behind the sky,
which will never be afraid
of what I do
or don’t choose.I’m not asking you
to hold me together.
I’m asking you
to open so wide
there’s room for all the ways
I come apart.
KEEP READING
SHARED WITH GRATITUDE
This poem appeared in The Wilderness That Bears Your Name by James A. Pearson, published by Goat Trail Press, 2024. (Available on: Amazon • Bookshop)
DESCRIPTION
“These poems walk with you through seasons of heartbreak, rebirth, and homecoming.
Drawing on the strength of the natural world to renew itself each spring, this debut collection from James A. Pearson doesn’t flinch from the moments when life comes crashing down. But it’s not stuck there, either.
Each poem meets you with a gentle faith—that just like the trees and the ferns and the summer foxgloves, you carry within you an inextinguishable spark of life. And when you find your way back to that spark, new seasons bloom.” (Source)
ABOUT JAMES A. PEARSON
After entrepreneurial burnout in my early 30s, I spent a decade cultivating the work that’s mine to do…
I write poetry to give my soul a voice in the world
I publish articles to share what’s been helpful for me
I’m a certified professional coach
My hope with my work is to help you navigate the tension between what your soul longs for, and what the world demands of you.
Read more poems by James A. Pearson • Find books by this poet on Amazon • Bookshop • Follow on Instagram • Website • Or view my library
ENDNOTES
- Explore other works in pursuit of: listening • compassion • space • Or browse the index
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