As If the Earth Could Feel You
Mary Newell is one of the many-faceted colleagues I have enjoyed getting to know and working with over our long engagement as somatic explorers and educators. As well as being a teacher of the Feldenkrais Method of neurophysical education, Mary is also a published poet, an editor, and a teacher of creative writing at the University of Connecticut – Stamford.
To celebrate National Poetry Month. I asked her permission to publish a poem from her recent chapbook, Re-SURGE (2021). Focusing on embodiment and the environment, this ensemble of poems opens with a reimagined version of the mermaid’s tale. The sections unfold as a healing narrative between two characters, addressing the awkwardness of living in the body, ecological and personal loss, finding your voice, and recovering from trauma.
Mary was kind enough to allow me to reprint As If the Earth Could Feel You. If you’re wondering why I selected this poem, consider how it speaks to living in the field of gravity and the body experienced from within.
Credit where credit is due:
- The image is the cover of Re-SURGE.
- Mary’s book is available from Trainwreck Press, a small Canadian press that spotlights innovative writing.
Your thoughts?
Please let us know your perspective! Add your comments, reactions, suggestions, ideas, etc., by first logging in to your Mind in Motion account and then clicking here.
Commenting is only available to the Mind in Motion Online community.
Join in by getting your free account, which gives you access to the e-book edition of Articulating Changes (Larry's now-classic Master's thesis), ATM® lessons, and more — all at no charge whatsoever.
To find out more and sign up, please click here.
Please share this blog post
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This blog may contain one or more affiliate links. When you click on a link and then make a purchase, Mind in Motion receives a payment. Please note that we only link to products we believe in and services that we support. You can learn more about how affiliate links work and why we use them here
Thank you,
To you Both!
You’re most welcome, Carolyn Sue!
Nice! Thanks for sharing this!
So glad you enjoyed the poem!
Thanks Larry and Mary — Love it!
I’m happy to “spread the word” and glad you loved Mary’s poem!
Hi, Bonnie!