all those years ago
in the time of dangers
they were placed in secret
as a silent beacon
in that deepest night
waiting for the day
when the shadowed world
would waken from the nightmare
shed its narrow petty ways
and embrace the way of light
stacked by those of vision
blessed in hope and courage
one upon the other
like knowledge upon learning
these standing stones of peace
hear them call across the ages
and beckon us to rise
to step into the future
to envision a new dream
to let fear and hatred cease
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2010
(revision © 1/22/19)
stacked stones in Sedona red-rock desert
These sculptures are called cairns. A cairn is a human-made balanced stack of stones. The word cairn comes from the Scottish Gaelic: càrn. Cairns have been, and still are used for a broad variety of purposes, from prehistoric times to the present. They are stacked as landmarks, direction finders, memorials, and also spiritual reasons, among other purposes.
This is gorgeous: says something of what I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to say, but in a real poem.
Thank you Viv — I was a naive child of the 60’s who actually believed peace and love was possible, and that we could bring about the new age of wisdom… that vision in me will not die, even in the face of so much evidence that would seem to the contrary, even in the moments I feel overwhelmed — we humans simply MUST find a way to rise to enlightenment!
…rob
I agree, Rob!
I’ve always been struck, while walking in Arlington Cemetery to visit my father’s grave, by the stones placed on the gravestones–a gesture that says so much.
Lovely poem, Rob.
Thank you so much Maureen, and bless your father — may he, and all of us one day, find peace… the living as well as the departed…
…rob
A message of hope…beautiful. And again, love this photo .
Thank you Geraldine…
…rob
Delicious!
a trophy
Gautami… 😉
…rob
Absolutely wonderful! I loved it.
Very nice writing.
. . . I xan hear the call.
Thank you Pan…
…rob
I really like this – LOVE that ending.
Thank you Twitches…
…rob
So beautiful. The image of the small pile of stones alongside the very big one is so exciting.
Thank you Sandy — yes, I felt the contrast in scale was very interesting… I have meditated in stacked stone gardens before filled with many and varied arrangements, including a number of times in Sedona — my wife has been one of the artists featured in the Sedona Arts Festival…
…rob
Wonderfully written! The image really compliments the poem!
-Weasel =)
Appreciate the kind words Weasel…
…rob
I took many road trips and often brought back a few stones. The photos are lovely and I really like the idea of listening to that compressed wisdom held for centuries, just waiting to be heard.
Elizabeth
Thank you ElizaBeth — my wife just loves to bring stones back from our frequent visits to the Oregon Coast…
…rob
Stones stacked in this way always remind me of a sacred place – like a Cathedral in Nature’s space where anyone seeking some spiritual light may stay awhile! Lovely poem!
Thank you Gemma… 😉 My wife and I have discovered several stacked stone spaces in our travels, always good energy…
…rob
Really agree with your vision Rob. I am also firm believer that peace and enlightenment is possible. Even I have made an attempt to spread inner peace through my blog, The Art of Loving Yourself
Enjoyed the poem!!
~Aniket.
Thank you Aniket…
…rob
the place of peace is here
the time of love is now
Yes, Yes, Yes, to this.. simply beautiful.. NOW ..live in the NOW and look it from behind and you know you have WON.. wow!
Do visit me and bless my 100th post..
Thank you, and your enthusiasm is much appreciated Ramesh, and yes, I will visit…
…rob
A message that will always be relevant. It’s never not NOW, and love and peace are in our own hands as human beings.
We live in a world overrun with greed and cruelty, but as you pointed out Stan, we all live in a perpetual now — and now is the perfect time to change things for the better…
…rob
I see I am not the only lover of stones. We live with recent glaciers making our yard a repository for their stories. I call mine, Alters to the Rock God.
Very nice.
Gloria
Thank you Gloria, and nice of you to visit Image & Verse — welcome!
…rob
a unique write .. loved the ideas and the flow 🙂
I appreciate your words of kindness Nimue, and I am pleased you enjoyed this…
…rob
Clarion stones! What a wonderful idea, beacons of peace. Lovely.
This world needs something Jane, to remind us to seek peace and wisdom in this time of great darkness we are in…
So glad you revisited this for the propt, Rob. Now you know, I think, that I’ve been accused of being a Pollyanna? That is…a very very positive person. I think it’s necessary that there of some of us exist in this world…expecially nowadays. I love this post with the stones, some from way way way back…as beacons of peace and hope. I’ve always loved coming upon cairns (these stacks of rock) when we’re hiking. It’s a sign of others out in nature…walking about. I always try to add a stone.
hmmmm now that could be a new form to explore in poetry…writing a cairn poem….I add a word (or maybe it would be three words — that magical number) and then the next dVerse person adds three more and then the next etc. And the only rule is that it must have a positive lean to it 🙂 Now that would be fun! 🙂
That is a fasinating idea Lillian. Collaborative poetry is always fun! 🙂
And after all these ages, we are still mired in fear and hatred. And after all these ages, we still hope for a new dream.
We humans are not quick learners Maggie, but I have hope we can some day focus on the civil in civilization…
I really like the message within your poem and the photo to go with it. Stones that herald a day without fear and hatred is a day that comes soon for humankind and our home.
Peace and inclusion Jade, I hope we humans can someday get a grip on these concepts… 🙂
I like those cairns, stacking “like knowledge upon learning”.
Thank you Frank, glad you liked this. Those were two of the three lines that ignited this poem. The stacked stones struck that image for me… 🙂
Yes, here’s to more poems that call for the goodness of humanity, that believe there will come a day when we do not succumb to fear and hate.
I agree Jade! There is enough cynicism in this damned world. I posted another poem on my site a couple dats ago with the positive vision. It is entitled “Wisdom Of The Ancients”, snd it festures a wonderful sculpture by Rose “Bean” Simpson.
Like knowledge upon learning – nice turn of phrase. Your choices in end words are perfect, Rob. Really well written! (and for some reason, I feel like a round of Jenga just this moment…hmmm.)
Thank you Jilly. My hope that this world can figure out how to stack dome knowlege on some learning, instead of violence upon ignorance.
Well written, Rob! “The way of peace they don’t know; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whoever goes therein does not know peace.” It’s been so for a long time. …but we can hope.
Thank you Charley! We must hope, we simply must – and turn that hope into positive action.
I love your poem, Rob! The stones stacked in hope of a better future! I liked this line:
one upon the other
like knowledge upon learning
these standing stones of peace
Thank you Dwight, makes me feel good that you like this. 🙂 Those three particular sentences are where this poem actually began…
This is beautiful and the last line penetrating and hopeful.
Hope must survive Sascha, and the endeavor to realize that hope!
The structure of your poem is like a cairn, Rob, line upon line, verse upon verse, and you’ve added to it since you first wrote it! A beautiful beacon.
Thank you Kim! Sedona is one of the favorite places my wife Kathy and I like to visit. Absolutely beautiful, being there inspired the initial version of this poem. Kathy and I have been invited in the past to display and sell our work at their October juried art show. I like your perspective on this poem as a cairn
What a great poem, and how I was stunned to read the first comment by Viv… a great reminder of a poet passed.
Love the rhythm and the structure Rob
Thank you Bjorn. Viv and I became very close during the years she would write and post to my prompts on my Writer’s Island blog. I have been part of a number of online poetry communities in the past 15 years, becoming cyber-acquainted with a number of poets, for long and short periods. But Viv and I actually became very close, her intial doing, during her years as she grew in confidence posting. She is one of a very very small handful of folks I have encountered online who I would dare call friend. Viv was a “good” friend, snd I frequently read the many comments she left me during her final years. She liked my work and that meant so much to me. I cried when she passed. I sincerely regret never having found a way to meet her face to face. What a tower of a person she was, a bright beacon of light, and genuine special spirt. I have some precious tears right now thinking about her Bjorn. It is my admiration for how that woman lived that has given me strength from time to time, as I have been through my recent life threatening struggles. I say that from the heart, not to be dramatic.
This is just lovely. I hear that call, Rob!
What a wonderful poem about those rocks stacked so carefully…and thanks for your comment on my poem.