Guest Author

Susan Rogers - Author and Poet

Three Poems by Susan Rogers


The Origin is One is a signature poem of mine as it represents the spiritual teachings I follow of Sukyo Mahikari--a path that promotes light and positive energy and the idea that all peoples--all faiths, all cultures, indeed all things have a common origin. I usually read this poem when I do a reading. (It is coupled in the Poets on Site chapbook with Susan Dobay's painting of the dove.)"

Kuan Yin also connects to my understanding of the importance of love and compassion and to the spiritual path I follow. It has a resonance for me both for divine mother figures in Sukyo Mahikari and also for the great hugging saint Amritanandamayi or Ammachi. It was inspired by a jade figurine at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California and is part of the museum's audio tour. The drawing is one I did of the jade figurine to accompany it in the collection of poems on the Pacific Asia Museum gathered by Poets on Site."

Awakening was written after seeing a painting by Susan Dobay with feathers of fire in it. I saw a burning bush. And it is inspired by the present spiritual leader of the path I follow, Koo Okada and his connection for me to Moses. This poem is a very important poem for me as it speaks to the spiritual fire that gives rise to not only to personal awakening but to the fire that prompts bringing the light to others.

Susan Rogers
June 2012
Susan Rogers considers poetry a vehicle for light and a tool for the exchange of positive energy. She is a practitioner of Sukyo Mahikari— a spiritual practice that promotes positive thoughts, words and action. She is also a photographer and a licensed attorney. Her poems were part of the 2010 Valentine Peace Project and have been performed at museums and galleries in Southern California. Her work can be found in the book Chopin and Cherries, numerous journals, anthologies and chapbooks Her work can be heard online or in person as part of the audio tour for the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California.

Susan is also an artist, a licensed attorney and an active volunteer in her community helping to protect the environment by organizing activities at several earth fairs every year. In addition, she serves as a Tree Planting Supervisor with TreePeople. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and currently resides there. Her BA is in English Literature from Princeton University, where she did her junior work abroad at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies in Oxford. She has also received a JD from UCLA and an MA in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She has taught Creative Writing at Johns Hopkins University and English Literature at UCLA. 


To learn more about Susan Rogers, please go to these URLs.