I spent a great two weeks at home. I concluded my time away with a wonderful weekend in Seattle where I attended a poetry weekend, along with about 150 others, facilitated by David Whyte. A major theme was asking beautiful questions: questions we need to ask that show stories in our lives that are possibly outdated. We open our eyes for what appears to be the first time and there is a renewal.
An important part of beautiful questions is they guide us towards new horizons. We feel grounded by home’s foundations and drawn forward from that stable place in imaginative ways. There is something spiritual and biblical about this feeling as we find the courage in our hearts to let go in ways we had never imagined possible.
That day I saw beneath dark clouds
the passing light over the water
and I heard the voice of the world speak out,
I knew then, as I had before,
life is no passing memory of what has been
nor the remaining pages of a great book
waiting to be read.
It is the opening of eyes long closed.
It is the vision of far off things
seen for the silence they hold.
It is the heart after years
of secret conversing
speaking out loud in the clear air.
It is Moses in the desert
fallen to his knees before the lit bush.
It is the man throwing away his shoes
as if to enter heaven
and finding himself astonished,
opened at last,
fallen in love with solid ground.
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About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
LOOKS LIKE YOU LEARNED SOMETHING. 🙂 Thank you for being the first “like” on my work of art, A SIMIAN SAM…! And I know the problem of flying fingers of fate (or fumbling). Was that “bok” an antelope (ie: springbok) or a “book”? 🙂
It was flying fingers that got in the way of each other. I edited it to book, but perhaps bok fits to in the context of a springing and fleet springbok.
You are welcome Jonathan. I look forward to your posts, their wit, and the creativity you share.
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
THE BEST TEACHERS LEARN THINGS IN RETURN!!!!
Your biopic neglected to mention that you have the best cuz in the world…… me.
All is forgiven.
I am glad to hear from you Cuz and I am glad all is forgiven. Thank you for the comment. We will have to talk more in depth one day and catch up.
What a great poem. Sounds like the inspiration permeated your cells. Happy to have read this.
Thank you. That is a great way of understanding it: permeating your cells.
This is beautiful! I love it when that happens and your mind is opened to such a wonderful depth. I bet this will be a new adventure for you!
I am counting on each day being a new adventure. Thank you for the lovely comment Michelle.
“It is the heart after years
of secret conversing
speaking out loud in the clear air.”
Love this! It says what I feel.
Thank you!
I am glad you enjoyed and it you are most welcome.
Nice to see you back. And – glad you had a nice time away.
Beautiful comeback – simply beautiful!
Thank you RoSy on all counts.
Beautiful and inspiring
Thank you Katherine and thank you for the re-blog. It is appreciated.
I have always admired your writing,Ivon.This was especially good
Reblogged this on How my heart speaks and commented:
Do read this
What a great idea to go attend a poetry weekend! And a beautiful poem. Thank you for sharing
You are welcome. It was a wonderful way to spend the weekend and I felt it was important to share one of David Whyte’s pome.
I’m glad you did. Poetry and the thought around it, gives som much inspiration and I think it gives you an instant moment of extra time. Time when you can define yourself – even if it’s just for a brief moment.
Pingback: The Opening of Eyes | Returning to Camissa
Thank you for the re-blog.
I only recently discovered David Whyte, what a wonderful, sensitive, profound poet. I am really envious of your weekend, I am sure it was enrichening and inspiring. Thanks for this post,Ivon, for sharing some of your inspiration. I really enjoyed it!
Thank you and you are welcome. The group and David made it quite a weekend.
Beautiful poem. Great Expression. Inspiring.
Thank you Lvsrao.
Questions, like keys that open doors to new possibilities.
They always do.
Thanks for sharing. Thrilled to check back in and read your reflections from David Whyte weekend. My reflections continue as you can probably detect from time to time in my blog. All the best, Moira