collaboration – The Yellow Brick Ave

Sacred Bumblebee (A Collaborative Poem)

The bumblebee’s sting protects their sanctuary
As well as shielding their clever and beautiful queen

The bumblebee is like a sacred one
That would save the pollination’s world
They show you what needs to be done
The way they did to their pollinations
I feel like they are a saviour to our world

They allow for new life, for growth, for reborn beauty.
They do their duty for their colony and for the Earth.
Those hard-working magic-makers,
Spreading hope and potential for dahlias and rosemary–
They truly are divine keepers of the circle of life.

Sweet honey is a bee’s saviour to their taste
And the bumblebee’s sting protects their sanctuary
As well as shielding their clever and beautiful queen
She instructs them to their heaven’s work
For the sake of our life not alone their lives

Inspiration, too, is a bumblebee
Buzzing around one’s head–protecting its kingdom,
Taking flowery thoughts
And transforming them into fruit,
Giving way to seeds that will sprout anew.

Photo by Michelle Reeves from Pexels

This is the third poem written in collaboration with Ismael Mansoor from This Engrained Heart. His contributions are in italics and mine are in bold. Please do go visit his blog! And, if you want to see what else we created together, you can find our first poem, “Selah,” here and our second poem, “Lighthouse,” here.

Lighthouse (A Collaborative Poem) — This Engrained Heart

A great dreamer you have always been, a wisher-upon-the-stars
A wayfarer, an adventurer, and a wanderer you are.

Image by J. S. Klingemann from Pixabay This is my second collaborative poem that I wrote with Joy from the Yellow Brick Ave. Joy’s section is in blue and mine is in grey. Our first collaborative poem (Selah) that we wrote together was started by Joy asking me to collaborate the poem with her and […]
Lighthouse (A Collaborative Poem) — This Engrained Heart

Click the link above to check out my newest collaboration with Ismael from This Engrained Heart!

Selah (A Collaborative Poem)

Music, Selah, they went on, Selah, Selah
With lyrical psalms like Proverbs, Solomon
Had chosen the path he sang of Selah
Too many songs to cherish the solemnity

The following is my first collaborative poem that I wrote with Ismael Mansoor from This Engrained Heart! Ismael’s contributions are in italics and mine are not.

I provided the prompt, and Ismael started the writing. After that, we went back and forth with adding pieces to it until we finished. I think that the final product of this poem is very much a mixture of our two different writing styles, and I’m excited to share it with all of you!

Selah

Music, Selah, they went on, Selah, Selah
With lyrical psalms like Proverbs, Solomon
Had chosen the path he sang of Selah
Too many songs to cherish the solemnity

Like him, we sing, “Praise, praise!”
For we have been bequeathed with
the grass, the dirt, the trees,
with the rain that provides life and renewal
to all.
Does not every songbird whistle a tune,
rejoicing for the gift of this land?
So, too, shall we. Selah

Honour thy garden that dwells with thy prayer
Foundation shall water, and recircle of it
Pray, praise to the faith that dwells in ye
Listen to the songbirds and feel the vibrations

Blessèd are those who sit quietly in the moss
and breathe in the scent of the forest.
Blessèd are those who can only take
a moment to witness the verdant splendor
through panes of glass.
And blessèd are those who live in jungles
of concrete and smog.
The pleas for a future
with equitable access to
flora and fauna and fresh air
shall not be ignored or forgotten. Selah

Selah in the Psalm, oh, they said, who is she
King Solomon, the wise one who was David’s son
Called a name, Selah, oh, they said, who is she
Even the wise Solomon was with the Saviour

Such a word to pronounce such wisdom, but they said who is she
Selah, a musical figure, probably
Selah, her merry songs that danced Solomon’s weddings
Words to rejoice, oh, Selah, but they said who is she

Alight! Selah is in music. Praise, and rejoice
Sheer the will to smile with songs
Selah, perhaps, personification to melodize
Gentle to the ears and the feelings

Selah of hope and Selah of praise
Selah of wonder and pleading
Lifting up exultation
toward the bounteous heavens
in awe of creation,
all hearts shall proclaim
Selah, her melodious name.

Blessings be upon all the living souls
Oh, blessings be upon those who bless themselves
And who bless others
Selah, in the heavenly place in the soul

Photo by Simon Leonardo from Pexels

I loved this opportunity to collaborate with Ismael on this poem! If you’re interested in creating a collaborative poem with me, reach out through my contact page.

Today’s resource for love and understanding is this video featuring Leah Thomas talking about the relationship between Black Lives Matter and environmental justice. Leah, a black woman who works in intersectional environmentalism, also runs a blog called Green Girl Leah and an Instagram page by the same name.