Today’s Sermon

is marsh birds
pouring over reeds

and a golden plover’s
rapid wing beats,

and the brief shadows
of small wavelets.

Today’s sermon is
a soft cacophony

drifting from trees,
cool air and moss.

Today’s sermon is
my willpower

disintegrating
into iced creaminess,

a swirl of sweetness,
a little thrill of pistachio.

Today’s sermon is
knitting a present

for my sister in a rich red
the colour of merlot.

Today’s sermon is
reading a poem,

a sermon for today
by somebody else.

Kim M. Russell, 11th December 2024

Image by Getty Images for Unsplash

It’s Wednesday, and over at What’s Going On? it’s time for Mary’s prompt, which is based on ‘Today’s Sermon’, a poem by Cheryl Dumesnil. Also linked to the dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night.

Mary asks us to reflect on what we could write using the title ‘Today’s Sermon’, thinking of everyday things, or things that are not so everyday, letting our minds wander, writing in short stanzas as the author does, and repeating the words ‘Today’s sermon’. 

61 thoughts on “Today’s Sermon

  1. I really like this! Your poem leaves me with a warm feeling, Kim.

    A few of my favorite lines are:
    “Today’s sermon is
    my willpower

    disintegrating
    into iced creaminess,”
    I definitely understand THAT sermon!

    Liked by 2 people

  2. What a fabulous prompt….and I LOVE what you’ve done with it!

    “Today’s sermon is
    my willpower

    disintegrating
    into iced creaminess,

    a swirl of sweetness,
    a little thrill of pistachio.’

    These three stanzas are delectable!

    Liked by 2 people

  3. An exquisitely woven sermon, Kim! I especially admire; “Today’s sermon is a soft cacophony drifting from trees, cool air and moss.” ❤️❤️

    Liked by 2 people

  4. I thoroughly enjoyed this Kim, and your reading today during “Live”. Very engaging and enriching ! And thank you for the wonderful greeting when I came online. I used to wield a tambourine back in my rock band days, so the jangle instantly stirred a warm memory in my soul — 🙂✌🏼🫶🏼🎼

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks Dora. Sadly, I won’t be seeing them. They spend Christmas with Ellen’s in-laws. However, I will be staying with them for a week in January while her husband is away for work.

        Liked by 2 people

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