The Cosmic Pause: Poems and Poetry for a Time of Transformation

By Diana Turner-Forte

The Cosmic Pause grew out the initial phases of COVID-19 in an effort to find meaning, order, and hope. Diana Turner-Forte cultivated several activities: walking in nature, intentional breathing, and drawing mandalas as a way of making sense of all that was happening in the world. As the weeks lingered this volume of writing emerged that reflected her inner feelings, questioning, dynamics and significance of the time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Nov 3, 2021
• ISBN: 9781982272029

Diana Turner-Forte

Diana Turner-Forte is a Teaching Artist in Dance and Movement with a vision to transform the human spirit through these arts. She has devoted her life to training, informing and educating children and adults in developing a harmonious relationship between body, mind, and spirit. Diana Turner-Forte's philosophy is rooted in the belief that dance and movement are tools for maintaining the body's self-regulatory mechanism to heal, recharge and regenerate. Her multi-faceted approach to Life consists of daily spiritual disciplines, healthy and sustainable eating habits, exercise, meditation and inner contemplation. Ms. Turner-Forte is a Reiki Master/Teacher and professed in The Third Order Society of St. Francis. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, a wood artisan and pet schnauzer, Pierre.

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Copyright © 2021 Diana Turner-Forte.

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and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised

Standard Version of the Bible, Copyright © 1989, by the Division of

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the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-7201-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-7203-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-7202-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021915493

Balboa Press rev. date:  10/28/2021

Dedicated to the special people

who nurtured my creativity:

from editors to writing teachers and students of writing,

from poetry groups to good friends—

you all helped make this book possible.

Contents

1   POEMS OF LIGHT

One Hundred Thousand Beats

Golden Spiral

Unfurling and Enfolding

Glass and Mirrors

Moringa

Living Fully

Yes and Yes Again

Contemplative Coat

Meditation on Swinging

Springtime

Before Sunrise

Message from the Sky

2   A BRIDGE OF PROSE

Be Not Afraid

Living Simply

Following the Red Thread

Fluency in the Language of Stillness

Forgiveness and Mercy

Soul-Nurturing

Raising Up My Mother

Outsider

The Drumming Circle

Reality on the Edges

3   POEMS OF THE DARK NIGHT

In The Chaos

One Morning Walk

Energy

Sixth Sense

Clouds: Morning ‘til Dusk

This Is Not Normal

A Thousand Tears

Laceless Boot

Communal Grief

Angel of Despair

Cosmic Pause

Dear Reader,

I invite you to read The Cosmic Pause: Poetry and Prose for a Time of Transformation from start to finish, beginning from the back and casually reading to the front, or sporadically opening the book to whatever page speaks to you. However you read it, may you find hope, peace, and solace from which to explore your own creativity in this world.

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Poems Of Light

One Hundred Thousand Beats

Sentimentalized with a special day:

memories of youthful romances

like hummingbird wings send my heart fluttering,

No mere pump,

life its fullest function,

Called to attention—an unsynchronized blip

signaling potential physical danger;

we gasp and grab our heart chakra.

A secret courier centered in our body

encasing intimate secrets, the heart’s inner landscape knows

joy and sorrow, love and forgiveness, truths and lies.

Hardy as dicentra spectabilis,

Harmonious rhythm in less than 12 ounces synchronizes our entire being.

Awake to its actions or ignorant of its impact:100,000 beats per day keep you alive.

Golden Spiral

Skewed in coded language we do not understand,

        Mistaking questionable narratives for truth,

                We ask no questions,

                        media flow 24/7,

                                    elaborate schemes crafted in secret unfold.

                                                                Like dogs we follow the scent.

Lured by deception, false promises, we flounder, trip into missed marks.