President Rick Commons’ Sestina

Creativity and mindfulness work hand in hand by allowing us to slow down, notice the details around us, and reflect deeply on our experiences.

When we practice mindfulness, we become fully present in the moment, tuning into the subtleties that often go unnoticed in our busy lives.

This heightened awareness opens the door for creative inspiration, as we begin to see the world with fresh eyes and a clear mind.

Reflection, a key part of mindfulness, gives us the space to process our thoughts and emotions, allowing creative ideas to flow more freely and naturally.

Rick Commons’ poem, Sestina: Breaking Free, beautifully captures this interplay between creativity and mindfulness.

His reflections on childhood, freedom, and the structure of life invite us to slow down, reflect on past moments, and notice the richness in everyday experiences—all of which fuel both mindfulness and creativity.

Together, they cultivate a deeper connection to ourselves and the world, enriching both our inner and outer experiences.

Breaking Free

Inside the ornamental gates and free
Of guardrails, curbs, and double yellow lines,
We spent our boyhood daylight savings time
On bikes. From different neighborhoods we formed
A gang of two-wheeled troubadours—our rules
Arcane, but harmonized and strict. We’d break

Down college hill, aware of when to brake,
To pedal hard, to let the gears spin free.
Concentration earned the crown and ruled
The following game. The others fell in line
Like moons and planets in celestial form,
Our circles— left foot, right foot-right on time.

We’d ride until the light of summertime
Was gone. Then flashlights toward home, we’d break
Apart like fireworks in triumphant form—
Upright, arms raised (Le Tour de France!), hands free
And waving as I crossed the driveway line.
Our favorite game reversed the sprinter’s rule

And changed the measure: How smooth could you roll?
How slow? We worked to take the longest time
To coast downhill from start to finish line,
Not touching foot to ground or hand to brake,
Unhurried as the gongs the grand belfry
Extolled at clever turns each steed performed.

And then one afternoon we were informed
Our riding violated modern rules
For going places. “Now you boys are free
To ride through campus straight at any time,
But circling like some loony tune, you break
The academic law of natural lines.”

“You see,” the guard philosophized, “straight lines—
They carry force —just like my uniform
And badge.” We saw. Betraying no heartbreak,
We promised to comply. It wasn’t cruel—
We knew seasons changed, and it was suppertime.
With expectations clear, he set us free.

And now the lines we trace are college-ruled,
Our childlike ways reformed. We learned in time
To ride dead straight and call it breaking free.

Watch Rick Common’s Sestina here.