The Next Thing in Line to be Loved

At SGTI, we encourage our students to express their learning in creative ways. Today, we gladly offer this series of poems by one of our current students, Katie Spero. We are grateful for her permission to post them. Enjoy!

Estimated Time of Arrival
 
she starts to notice shoulders under a t-shirt in front of her
the atmosphere breathes his body out 
and it expands
breathes him in and it contracts
that one too
and the woman standing
grabs a seatback as the bus jolts 
green light
in 
pause
out 
pause
the voice wants to know
how can I love myself
when I am myself
who is breathing us
loving us
with life
 
who am I 
pause
I breath it in
it’s swept away 
silent nativity
sojourner
with a place to land
 
who is next in line to be loved
 
 
Don’t Give Away the Ending
 
An old couple walks onto the bus
Sit across from each other
Then next to each other
Then a few rows back
Whispering silently under the loud hum 
She sips water
I am thirsty
We are all a part
Apart is the illusion
Two small boys with big hair like me
Stomp up the two stairs towards the back of the bus
They shout observations 
A car with people in it
A car radio
"Right Leo?"
It sure is right
It is all right
Everything is part of the poem
 
The Watcher
 
The ego
picks up a pen.
It disappears
and I awake. I fall asleep
and it disappears.
 

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About the poet:
Katie Spero is the Parish Life Director at Church of Saviour, an Episcopal church in Chicago. Prior to that she spent time serving and living at the Satchidananda Ashram in Buckingham, Virginia which was founded on the principle that reflects Katie’s own life journey, “truth is one, paths are many.” Katie is a trained teacher of Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Stress Management, and is a member of the COS College of Preachers. Calling on her degree in Poetry from Columbia College Chicago, it is Katie’s joy to try to put into words that which cannot be spoken to spiritually connect and serve her communities.