Where is Peace? By Leanne Johnson

Leanne wrote this poem in response to last months creative challenge in the Australia Herald.

Where is Peace? By Leanne Johnson 

Where do you seek peace?

Is it in the quiet of reflection?

Within?

Can peace be found in a noisy classroom ?

Or a bustling marketplace? 

Or a busy station?

There is peace.

There is True Peace

Not distracted by the external.

Take peace within you

Into the marketplace

Into the classroom

Onto the noisy  station

Peace is there .

Within.

Write a Poem or Create some Artwork for Peace (from March April Australia Herald)

One way for us to process all the things that are going on in the world right now is to express our thoughts and emotions on paper. You have a poem or artwork inside waiting to be written or communicated. It just takes a moment to be still and wait. So try this following exercise or take out a paint brush and allow your thoughts or feelings on peace to take visual form.

Write a French Pantoum * - Set aside half an hour, grab a pen and paper, put on your favourite relaxation music and then write for 10 minutes - write whatever comes into your mind about peace. Don't think too much just keep your pen moving. Once you have finished underline 6 phrases that stand out to you. Then using your phrases put them in the following format to form your poem.

Stanza 1

Line 1:

Line 2:

Line 3:

Line 4:

Stanza 2

Line 5 (repeat of line 2 in stanza 1)

Line 6: (new line)

Line 7: (repeat of line 4 in stanza 1)

Line 8: (new line)

Stanza 3

Line 9 (repeat line 6 of stanza 2)

Line 10: (repeat line 3 of stanza 1)

Line 11: (repeat line 8 of stanza 2)

Line 12: (repeat line 1 of stanza

* A Pantoum is a form of poetry that uses the repetition of lines to create a poetic effect. Take six underlined phrases from your writing and enter them into the French pantoum form above.

We'd love you to share what you create - send your poem or artwork to: abonnefin@cofchrist.com.au