Auteur: Annemieke de Gier

Thoughts on society, spirituality and relationship, through poetry. Dutch and English. Gedachten over maatschappij, spiritualiteit en relatie, door middel van gedichten.
poems, poetry

The birth of Venus

door Annemieke de GierPlaats een reactie op The birth of Venus

Last week I visited my lovely sister, who lives right in the middle of the beautiful city of Vancouver. After a week of mostly talking, sleeping too little and drinking too many cocktails, I flew back to my home country. I watched from the plane window as I said goodbye to the vibrant city, the impressive sky scrapers, the deep green of Stanley Park and the beautiful Lions Gate Bridge over the Burrard Inlet. Soon Vancouver was just a speck between the Pacific Ocean and the snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountians.

In the nine hour flight to Amsterdam, I re-read two of my favorite books. The first is Shameless by Nadia Bolz-Weber, dealing with the shame the conservative church has put on the (female) body. The second book is a storybook of Greek Mythology by Dutch author Imme Dros.

And then of course I had to write a little poem.

This painting is the Birth of Venus, by Botticelli. However, in Greek mythology Venus is known as Aphrodite. She comes in many forms. Why not call her Eve as well.

The Birth of Venus

There’s a sigh in the silence and wind on the water,

a word that is stronger than death.

She was born from desire, this stardust daughter,

of fire, of rhythm and breath,

of melody, harmony, rising and falling,

with wind in her hair and an ocean calling.

She has lingering fingers and carrying hips,

there is singing and sighing and salt on her lips.

Place a hand on her heart, feel the beat of her pulse.

Hear the crashing of waves and the cry of the gulls.

gedichten, Nederlands, poëzie

Nowruz – de groeikracht van de lente

door Annemieke de GierPlaats een reactie op Nowruz – de groeikracht van de lente

Van mijn Iraanse, Afghaanse en Koerdische cursisten leer ik over het nieuwjaarsfeest Nowruz. De terugkeer van het licht wordt gevierd, de hoop en de groeikracht van de lente geëerd. Het feest begint op 21 maart, de dag dat de nacht en de dag precies even lang zijn.

Er wordt gepicknickt, muziek gemaakt en gedanst. Er worden vuren gemaakt waar dappere mensen overheen springen als teken van onze kracht en levenslust om het kwade te overwinnen.

Wat een inspirerend feest en verbindend met het vieren van Pasen, het feest waar ikzelf mee opgroeide. Ook Pasen is een symbool van het leven, het licht en de liefde die de duisternis overwinnen.

Het onderstaande gedichtje is voor mijn Afghaanse, Koerdische en Iraanse zusters. Een gebed dat de zachte krachten van de lente de duisternis in hun geboortelanden zullen overwinnen.

poems, poetry

Eve

door Annemieke de GierPlaats een reactie op Eve

Reading the news in the morning is not exactly the best way to start my day, lately.

It puzzles me, who voted in all these authoritarian men, anyway?

Men who will spend millions to look for water on Mars, and save a few bucks by denying starving children clean water.

Men who are so scared of giving up their top dog position that they feel the need to ban pictures of women in powerful positions from the internet.

Men who lock up a woman for wanting to feel the wind blow through her hair.

Men who call Mary of Magdalene a prostitute and Eve the initiator of sin.

Eve, her name means ‘breath’ or ‘she who brings life’.

Today is March 8th, International Women’s day. Today, let’s celebrate Eve.

The beautiful picture was taken by Artem Kovalev and can be found on Unplash.