Thursday, June 11, 2026
Few Words of Wisdom from “Nine Gates” Essays by Jane Hirshfield.
A poem’s first draft feels as if there was something already there. Wisdom of your heart-mind encounters language and a poem might be born. Poetry comes out of emotional and intellectual experiences. Using stories, metaphors and simile.
Just as clouds with sufficient water will rain, a human heart with sufficient feeling would find its most natural expression in the images, emotions, words and music of poetry. Poetic forms appear when conventionalized habits of mind are tripped off allowing deeper grain to reveal.
We see things as we are not as they are. What we see sees us. When we approach things with our full and unselfish attention they speak to us on their own terms and with their own wisdom. When we surrender wisdom comes to us. Inner emotions and outer things intertwine.The world of objects and nature reflect poet’s emotions.Â
Jennifer D. Diamond
Wow, so beautiful and powerful, Madhu! Thank you for sharing.
Lorraine
What we see sees us… that takes some pondering and deep thought but I love it. When we surrender wisdom comes to us… yes!
Madhu B. Wangu
Sure Jenn, thank you!
Madhu B. Wangu
And if we keep this in mind while we are gazing at something, looking, admiring or disliking something, we have entered the kingdom of wisdom! Thanks for commenting, Lorraine.