Poetic Reverie: A Lunch Break for Daydreaming

Every Friday from February to April, from 1:00 to 1:30 PM, I invite you to a Poetic Reverie at Cherish, a moment to pause, breathe, and immerse yourself in poetry inspired by nature. In the quiet oasis of this room by the garden, we take a step away from the rush of the day, letting poetry and music transport us into landscapes of forests, rivers, winds, and earth.

How It Works

• 1:00 PM sharp – I close the door, and we begin.

• We listen to a carefully chosen piece of music, always in harmony with the theme of the poetry. Yesterday, it was an adaptation for harp of a piece by 19th-century Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, evoking the song of a nightingale.

• I read a selection of poetry about nature. Yesterday’s session featured Hélène Dorion, a French Canadian poet who studied philosophy before dedicating herself to poetry. I read from a collection she wrote during lockdown, a meditation on the forest surrounding her—its silence, its shifting light, its deep presence.

• Since most attendees do not understand French, I read the original text alongside an English translation, allowing both the rhythm of the language and the imagery of the words to work their magic.

• We then sit in five minutes of silence, letting the poetry settle and expand within us.

At 1:25, the session ends, and professionals needing to return to work can leave on time. For those who have a little more space in their day, I stay until 1:45 for an informal tea and chat.

This is just one of the daily meditation sessions at Cherish, each led in a different style. Mine is daydreaming break through philosophical poetry, a space to breathe deeply, to listen, and to reconnect.

Feel free to join anytime. Arrive on time (at 52, Bealey Ave), settle in, and let poetry do the rest.

Thank you to Aaron Birch for this picture taken in Rotorua.