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A Vessel of Love (A Glass of Wine): 40 Day Vigil
A Book of 40 Poems by Caits Meissner

(From the intro)

I began this project as a simple creative push. Most of the dedicated writers I know were embarking on their yearly 30 Poems in 30 Days challenge as dictated by National Poetry Month. I’d never been able to stick beyond day two, but this year, was determined to ground myself in artistic pursuit. Being the breed of writer who pens a word or two when the mood hits, I knew this would, indeed, be a challenge of considerable size to undertake. To make it authentic, I would commit to self publishing a chapbook that held each poem, daring myself, and the reader, to trust what came forth.

On day 21 and poem 20, I found myself poring through a Manhattan bookstore’s poetry section, drawn to the blinding orange color of Hafiz’s The Gift. Hafiz is a Sufi poet of yesteryear (let’s talk about the 1300s, shall we?) whose name has been rolling off the tongue of new forces in my life that have been deeply affecting, and infecting, my spirit with positivity and a flood of inspiration. The book called to me. Upon reading the intro, which describes 40 as a spiritual number used to denote a time to testing before reaching a new state of enlightenment, I realized this path was to be 40 days, not 30. Having already prepped for the challenge with three warm up pieces, I would extend the challenge seven additional days. Floating in a time of deep uncertainty about my next creative step, I realized this challenge was beyond a simple need for self discipline. This was my 40 day vigil to the next plateau.

“When he has truly accomplished this (dawn of the final day), he finds the force of love has consumed his limited personality and all its desires, even the desire for God. He has realized that one cannot “master” love, one can only serve as a vessel of love (a glass of wine.)” -- Hafiz, The Great Sufi Master and Poet


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