On listening to desire

Sent with love this Easter weekend

Holly and me, April 4th 2023.

I’m missing my daughter. She’s away until after Easter, singing with the choir she’s part of. I’m reminded that in just over two years, when she heads off to university, it will be this way most of the time. Just me and the boys.

The picture above was taken shortly before dropping her off. We left home two hours earlier than we needed to, and made a morning of our road trip. Whilst exploring the town near her choir course, we stumbled across a family-run food stand and ate Gyros for breakfast.

If you aren’t familiar, Gyros is Greek street food. Grilled pork, and fries, and salad and Tzatziki all wrapped in warm, home-made Pita. In my opinion it’s the tastiest fast food in the world. And most definitely not breakfast food. But it was there, and we wanted it. I have no regrets :)

---

This week I offer three short pieces/poems/notes to self. Two previously shared elsewhere, and one written in recent days, unpolished, and bursting with cliché.

All on the topic of desire. Listening to it. Following it. Allowing it to guide us. I hope you enjoy.

Originally shared on Instagram, Nov 2021

---

The next was shared with the following blurb, exactly two years ago:

“I’ve spent much of my life feeling afraid. Of many things, but mostly of what others may think if I express what’s in my heart. In recent years I’ve begun the journey of letting this go. This poem is a little glimpse of how this feels.”

---

Alive

Last night I looked into life's eyes,
moved my fingertips across her back,
felt her softness
for the first time

she wore her scent like an emerald,
her bruises like silk

I took her hand as we left,
at last, she said,
at last

---

[I’d been listening/dancing to a lot of Etta James when I wrote that one :) ]

And finally, this. Fresh out of my notebook; as I follow my desire to move through life at my own pace. As I say no to work opportunities, that three years ago, I would have chewed my left arm off for. As I allow space for the current version of what lights me up, to arrive:

---

Desire

She arrives each morning,
before the world slips under the door
She doesn't shout or stamp her feet
She just points to what is next

What I need to feel alive
To be at ease
To stay in communion with all of life

She knows what is mine
She knows what is not

My only job is to listen and follow
She knows the way

---

Thank you for being here.

With love this Easter weekend,

Claire

---

Find me elsewhere:

Instagram: @clairemackinnonwrites

Website: clairemackinnon.com

LinkedIn: Claire Mackinnon