Aryamati wins poetry prize

Aryamati writes from Manchester, UK, to say - “l'm pleased to say l've won a poetry prize in Didsbury Arts Festival.  l'd like to give thanks to Bhante, for encouraging us to develop our imaginations through the arts.  Only when l came to Manchester as a mitra did l begin writing poetry; my gratitude to him for opening a new awareness - and to Ananda and Manjusvara for their ‘Wolf at the Door’ workshops, and their friendship. And to Vishvantara for her love and support.  

“This poem was inspired by a Garden exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery, it's in 2 parts. 

Lots of metta to you all, Aryamati

PAINTING GARDENS

Gertrude Jekyll

Pole-axed by weak sight

 you turned from Turner to gardens; 

enthralled by his whites, his touches of red

you poured them into English borders;

banking marigolds beside lavender,

startling delphiniums

with folk foxgloves;

weekend gardeners

became painters.

Jarman said it with flowers to Dungeness Powerstation

By the concrete hulk,

the nuclear powderkeg,

chrysanthemums mourning

flagrant scarlet-orange

poppies crumpling;

bulwarks of huge daisies

lavender’s blue-mauve

dilly-dilly - on withered sedge;

thyme passes unloved sand-dunes,

wild flowers crown rusting crosses.

Zen stones

final filming.

Cut.