Poetry

"A poet can survive everything but a misprint."
--Oscar Wilde


"A poet's autobiography is his poetry. Anything else is just a footnote."
--Yevgeny Yevtushenko


"A poet's work is to name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it going to sleep."
--Salman Rushdie

Sometimes, in a world where we need all the information we can get to help us survive, poetry seems like a luxury. But I was reminded recently that for some people, poetry is more important than, for instance, practical advice about food.

With this, I offer you some of my poetry. More will be posted on this website as time permits. Some of the selections are from my book Birthing, published in the mid-1990s by Woman in the Moon Publications (now out-of-print).

I hope you enjoy these creations.

Sometimes we need to be reminded
who we are...

The Source
© 1984 by Nenah Sylver


I went to walk upon a trail
To try to find the flow or Source,
And though I feared that I would fail
I tried to trust and stay on course.


I soon came to a river deep,
And though I looked, I could not find
A bridge. So I lay down to sleep,
Of tired frame and weary mind.


And what approached -- or so it seemed,
Was such a glowing spark of light
That huge amounts of love were beamed
To help me through my darkest night.


And when it spoke, I understood
Its faith that I would find my way.
"The Source is all, and it is good."
And then I woke, for it was day.


Encouraged, I refused to leave
And after searching, spied some planks
That with some effort, did retrieve
While murmuring my heartfelt thanks.


I made my bridge and crossed the stream
And knew then what had set me free:
The understanding of my dream
Reminding that the Source is me.