Shutter Sisters

poetry

By

Even in the struggle, you are loved.

You are being loved not in spite of the hardship, but through it.

The thing you see as wrenching, intolerable, life’s attack on you,

is an expression of love.

 

There is the part of us that fears and protects and defends and expects,

and has a story of the way it’s supposed to turn out.

That part clenches in fear, feels abandoned and cursed.

 

There is another part, resting at the floor of the well within, that

understands:

this is how I am being graced, called, refined, by fire.

 

The secret is, it’s all love.

It’s all doorways to truth.

It’s all opportunity to merge with what is.

 

Most of us don’t step through the doorframe.

We stay on the known side.

We fight the door, we fight the frame, we scream and hang on.

 

On the other side, you are one with the earth, like the mountain.

You hum with life, like the moss.

On the other side, you are more beautiful:

wholeness in your bones, wisdom in your gaze,

the sage-self and the surrendered heart alive.

 

– Tara Mohr from The Real Life

If you haven’t yet discovered the breathtakingly beautiful gift book of poetry, The Real Life from Tara Mohr then I emplore you to drop everything and download it immediatly. There is magic in on every page, in every image, with every word. Visit Tara’s wonderful blog for the download.

What poems, quotes, words have stopped you in your tracks lately and what images do they conjure up or inspire you to capture?

Comments

  1. Beautiful words, but to me the photo was even more beautiful. Perfect focus and a wonderful bokeh. Just lovely.

    My project is completely about words and how words inspire me to take photos. Its simple really. Everyday one random word is chosen. That one word inspires what I photograph. And then I share it online. I call it "365 words through photos." And the main reasons for doing the project is to foster creativity, get my out with my camera more, and to get to know my surroundings even better (especially since we moved a month ago). So far I'm six days in and its been awesome.

    http://www.only365words.blogspot.com

    http://www.cabinfeververmont.com

  3. O.M.G.
    this poem AND photo are stunning…
    I've downloaded Tara's generous gift and look forward to savouring it.
    THANK YOU!
    xox

  5. The other day I watched a documentary on the architectural photographer, Julius Shulman. It's been sitting in my Netflix instant queue for quite sometime–I've come close to deleting it, actually. I'm glad that I finally got around to watching his story, it really inspired me. Not that I want to do architectural photography, but I enjoyed seeing him in action and reminiscing about where his photography has taken him in the past.

    Sometimes, I forget to take part in the things that have the capability of inspiring me. Watching documentaries about other artists is something I need to do more often!

    I wrote down something he said during the course of the film: "The camera is the least important element in photography" ~Julius Shulman

    ~WW

    Recent Post: Books are like movies in the way that they also have the ability to inspire!
    http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com/2011/01/chamblin-bookmine-used-book-store.html

  10. Sometimes reading the words here on Shutter Sisters is hard for me because I dont' consider myself very creative at all. I know what I like and oftentimes I try to duplicate it with my own twist. But I rarely have original ideas about photography, or words, or really anything inspirational. It seems that everyone here at SS is VERY creative, and introspective, and just plain awesome. I feel kinda tiny, surrounded by a whole lotta greatness.

    but, I do try to look at it as inspiration and not as comparing myself to what I'm not. I love the words here on this poem and also this wonderful post over on Eat Play Love: http://eatplaylove.blogspot.com/2011/01/2011-im-coming-after-you-with-my.html

    I see myself as that person who is on the safe side of the doorway. I so desperately WANT to take risks but I think my biggest obstacle is that I sincerely cannot imagine what passing through that doorway would look like. I don't know what success would feel like. I only know fear.

    But I really am trying.

    (As an aside, GAH this blog has become like my therapy session. It's kinda out of my usual niche of blog reading so I feel strangely safe just saying exactly what I feel. sorry if I'm a bit of an over-sharer!)

    I think this photo really illustrates me being afraid to cross that threshold to something greater.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/texanmama/5292522744/

  11. Recently, this post from Kind Over Matter literally stopped me in my tracks (I was reading it on my PDA) –

    http://www.kindovermatter.com/2010/12/storm-is-you.html

    "And once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about." – Haruki Murakami (Kafka on the Shore)

  12. Texan Mama I really feel like I have to respond to your post. I have looked at a lot of your photographs on flickr and I have found them to be creative and most importantly inspiring to me. I think we always tend to be hard on ourselves and the work we create but you are not tiny surrounded by greatness, we are all a small part of the overall greatness, every single one of us, and I for one have appreciated your photography work.

    I know what you mean by being afraid to go through the door which is why I chose this photo because sometimes I feel like going through the door isn't the biggest challenge it's the long climb to get to the door.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/djinjoe/5329874251/

  15. oof my heart.
    "The thing you see as wrenching, intolerable, life’s attack on you, is an expression of love."
    yes! yes! a friend recently reminded me when i asked the rhetorical "why?!" that through this {whatever this might be} we {you, he, i} are learning love.

    wow.
    thank you for this link today.
    xo

  16. This is my first time posting a comment, I've been visiting here for some time now,but feeling sooo busy that I didn't feel I could keep up on a daily basis- One my small resolutions this year is to stay on top of shutter sisters, because it's sooo good for the soul. I'm inpired so often by my flickr contacts, each one with their very own powerful gift to heal. Lately as well, I've been inspired by Margaret Bourke White. She was a pioneer in Photography for women, and I appreciate so much one of her quotes

    “Photography is a very subtle thing. You must let the camera take you by the hand, as it were, and lead you into your subject.”

    When I first started taking photos for my 365, i think i got a little hung up on the perfect shot- What others would think was beautiful- But gradually I started letting my camera lead me- letting it find where it wanted to be- In doing so, I feel like I grew- And that quote is so true, the camera does guide you by the hand if you let it.

  18. LOVE this and so needed….thank you!
    one that stopped me in my tracks lately….

    "…It was already late
    enough, and a wild night,
    and the road full of fallen
    branches and stones.
    But little by little,
    as you left their voices behind,
    the stars began to burn
    through the sheets of clouds,
    and there was a new voice
    which you slowly
    recognized as your own,
    that kept you company
    as you strode deeper and deeper
    into the world,
    determined to do
    the only thing you could do–
    determined to save
    the only life you could save."
    The Journey by Mary Oliver

  21. Wonderful. Thank you! One of my new favorites is:

    "A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is a reality." -John Lennon

  26. Such beauty in your photo and in that poem… wow – heart stirring.

    Some say Shakespeare’s quote: “Expectation is the root of all heartache” is sad and apathetic. I say, to live without expectation frees us and opens the door to possibility. We ‘do’ expectation all the time. All the time. It binds us and sets us up for disappointment. I’ve learned to replace expectation with gratitude for what is.

  27. beautiful words… and the photo… breathtaking.

    so weird, because the day after you posted this, i had written a poem for my sister. i rarely attempt to write poetry, because i thing i am not very good at it. but i do REALLY ENJOY reading poetry {which is why i can't wait to check out your recommendation}.

    anyway, i've been reading a lot of frost lately. one of my favorites from him is, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” i am so waiting for an opportunity to go outside and photograph something inspired by these words. i have just the place in mind.

    i also always love e.e.cummings work, too.

    other than that, i don't have any poetry to share that has been inspiring me lately. but i can share the poem i wrote yesterday… and the photos it inspired me to take.
    http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2011/01/dear-i-wrote-this-poem-for-you-its.html

  28. "Even in the struggle, you are loved" – so powerful opening line. Thanks a lot for the day's post. the photograph and poem work perfectly together. The fragility and subtle sensualism of both is amazing. I have been visiting for quite a while without commenting, but this was really something I wanted to praise you for.