Each month, women behind bars in Burlington, VT write with their community mentors as part of writinginsideVT. Of course, the mentors will leave after the two hour session – a fact that always tugs at their hearts.
In this particular session, after mentor/mentee pairs shared individual writings prompted by the poem ‘Prayer’ by Lisa Colt, they were invited to put their words together in joint found poems. The poem, below, weaves all those words into one found poem that truly expresses the universality of our lives as women, inside or out. Our desires, our fears, our longings for personal growth and change.
Let the Heart Lead the Beat
let me abandon shame
blame that solves nothing
the deepest wound, the misguided light
that demonize one’s misfortunes
let my inner darkness peel away
let me step into the light of my own soul
filled with exhilaration and fear –
abundance is not shameful Continue reading