Monday 15 April 2013

10,000 - a poem

My Poetry Book anno 1977
Today I would like to reflect on poetry which comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes and thought.

I used to write tons of poems and as a teenager I even got an A+ in a written Danish exam once - for writing an innovative and provokative poem.

Most of my poems were broken heart lines from the soul of unreturned love - as they would be at that age...

Sometimes we forget how brilliant our creative minds worked when we were young people, this goes for writing as well as other forms of artwork.

Some keep at it and others, like myself, leave it in the past and may pick it up again when new people come into the family - having children is a great source of inspiration and laughter, by the way.

Laughter!

LAUGHTER is a natural creativity booster and it is amazing how the mind and spirit engages with this fountain of colours, shapes, words, music, dance and so on - a wealth of wisdom that blossoms from a space that is uptapped territory for many people. Simply because we forgot!

I teach laughter and I love it! Not only does it remind other people of their true nature but it also reminds me of what is truly available to us all.

Nick is a true creative hero of mine - he trained with me at the Laughter Yoga Teacher Training in November 2012 and Genie mac! that was fun!

He was also a great source of questions and seemed to be on a mission to seek knowledge that wasn't even part of the training - warm thoughts go to Nick who is an ace Laughter Representative on the verge of a big launch and that is a completely different story.

So here it is... Poetry at its creative centre. A poem.

Nick took shelter, with his papers, behind the little desk on the stage and started with a serious face, introducing his unique talent on Talent Night, and proclaimed something to the extent of:

'10,000 - a poem by Nicholas Bishop'

Then the recital started and I was in stitches as was everyone else (until we got to around 50 - then Nick was lovingly booed off stage, bless him).

Spot the Nick!
1 (pause)
2 (pause)
3 (pause)
4 (pause)
5 (pause)
6 (pause)
7 (pause)
8 (pause)

...cut by Lotte Mikkelsen...

So, is that talent? It TOTALLY is - by simply coming up with the idea and in grave seriousness continuing until about 55-60. I know Nick would have continued to 10,000 - without a doubt!

What is this all about then? Poetry? Yes and no.
It is about tapping into a space in the mind where ideas flourish and let go of being caught up in what is possible, appropriate and do-able. All these preventative thoughts are only part of our learned behaviour and it is time we unlearn and start living our lives as WE would like to live instead of how other people think we are supposed to live.

The Laughter Yoga Teacher Training is just one of the many places where realisation strikes and we get closer to our essence - and the really great thing about this particular way of learning is that it is totally free from religion, politics, and does not deplete the Earth of its natural resources but only make it stronger with the sustainable energy of laughter!

Ho ho ha ha ha have a wonderfully mind-opening week.

1 comment:

Basil Hall said...



I talk to children,
Then most people do,
But I'm a compulsive,
Scaring mothers in chemist shops,
Leaning over their prams,
Left reluctantly at the door.

Holding a one sided conversation
With a big eyed chubby face,
The eternal burden of being me
Seeps away through my voice and lips,
Until it is finally flung into the air
In a small explosion of laughter
At the wonder of a being who just
is.

And outside the safety of their front gates
They confront me on the footpath,
Gaze up, unselfconsciously,
With wide questioning eyes;
Then suddenly,
From right out of the air,
They tell me, a complete stranger,
That Blackie just had kittens,
Daddy hit mummy last night.
And for no other reason
Than, obviously, I didn't know.

In unadulterated observation,
Free of spite,
They ask me were all my hair has gone,
Tell me I have a big nose
And my breath smells funny.
And with no ego to confront,
I joyfully lose mine.

It is a shame once grown
We daily crouch within ourselves,
Making each meeting an unconscious joust;
And when I wish to be free,
Throw off my suit of armour,
Feel the joy of just being;
I talk to children.

Basil 1995