Mindful

"Every day I see or hear something that more or less

kills me with delight."

I went back to read it again to make sure "kill" wasn't a typo.

The juxtaposition of kill with delight sits a bit off center

but I take her point and salute her word skill.

"It is what I was born for--to look, to listen, to lose myself

within this soft world--to instruct myself over and over

in joy and acclamation."

I'd like to say we're all born for this very same thing...

"instructing ourselves over and over in joy and acclamation."

What if this began in kindergarten?  What if there were

age appropriate textbooks written for such a course of practice?

Would this world be a different place to live in? I'd like to believe so.

. . ."the ordinary, the common, the very drab, the daily presentations."

This is my favorite line...we get so caught up in the rare, the unusual,

 the  scary, the outrageous, the out of the ordinary--

rushing past the "daily presentation"... 

taking them for granted, forgetting 

the wonder of their dependability.

"how can you not help but grow wise with such teachings as these?"

This reminds me of the first time I saw an 

Orange Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris)

blooming in the grass at the side of the road. 

 I was enchanted!

Someone remarked, "it's common."

I was still enchanted nonetheless and I am to this day

when I catch a glimpse of one...even more so now that

I've befriended this poem.  

 

Sunday

"Not a day to argue about fleeting things

that are outside our peripheral vision."

I would not limit this sentiment to Sunday.

I recommend at least two or three days a week.

Happy Friday.

 

Every Living Thing

It pains me 

to share this quote.  

It caught me off guard and gave me a jolt.

Then I realized the seriousness of our situation.

I believe in the hand of grace...

I hold it close always...trusting it's power.

May it bring an end to hostilities wherever they reside.

May the seeds of discord that have taken root 

become deracinated...uprooted to be replaced

with seeds of goodness and harmony.

 

Poem To The Future

There is so much I love about this poem.

We all might benefit from a chat with the future, don't you think?

"I keep hoping we’ll get to celebrate you."

I'd offer the future a rich cup of coffee with lots of cream.

Granola with yogurt with plenty of cinnamon.

Along with something sweet and delicious from Bent Willow.

Darn, Bent Willow is gone with Past.

Wait.  What about a conversation with Now?

Now. Welcome! I have some questions.

First of all, please don't mind the mess.

I do apologize for all the trash in our oceans

and the wilderness that's gone missing along

with more creatures than I can name or count.

Can you make your way through the bodies?

Navigate the detention centers?

You're young and healthy aren't you?

Because man oh man, if you are sick

there might be a problem getting proper help.

Please sit down and tell me this can all be fixed?

That crews of helpers who are, this minute,

doing marvelous things to bring some order to the chaos?

It would be great if you'd make them a bit more visible.

Explain to me how you are sorting things out to

bring us back to balance and graciousness?

That the countless unsung and scarcely witnessed

humans and more than humans working

like mad to renew our trust and faith in each other

are not working in vain.

That the wood wide web is not destroyed

and is still able to send out waves of medicine to

help heal the ravaged places.

We need a detailed map.

Please?

 

The Earth Is Alive

"the world does not 

think of itself as a miracle."

The world does not think of itself at all?

Perhaps that is why animism  

is a stretch for so many of us...

We aren't practiced in an entity who 

isn't thinking of itself.

"The tides move in and out, speaking of loyalty. 

The trees keep reaching  toward the light, 

speaking of hope, and possibility. 

Like this it goes."

This is the wonder of it...the constancy...the dependability...

this is what helps keeps us sane, if we notice, in an often insane world.

We can trust this when trust seems to be evaporating.  

It seems vital to be able to trust something.

"...on in persistence and determination. 

Through the minutes and the seasons. 

Through the years and the decades, 

inscribed by a history of revolt and opinion. "

It keeps on doing what it does...

despite revolt, despite opinion.

Would that we could adopt these qualities

and keep our world and ourselves

honorable and respectful.

"And still, it remains created 

and positioned.

Still, it tilts and turns. 

Still our stories weave

on the great loom of now, and the earth, 

not thinking of itself as beautiful, 

nor sad, not marvelous, not joyful, lives."

May it continue...may it outlive

the current revolt and opinion.

May our Earth be resilient enough

to outlast our bungling...our mistakes, 

our mismanagement, our disregard.

We could have been better stewards...

I could have been a better parent...

yet, the earth and my children endure and continue.

Can you imagine not thinking of yourself as 

beautiful (or not), as sad/happy, as marvelous,

as joyful but simply alive...and relish that?

 

There Is A Place Beyond Ambition

Thankfully, we have all kinds of people...

those who attend to the busy town

and those who sit by the river and listen.

What's especially wonderful is when

those who sit by the river and listen

write poetry or songs 

to inspire those in the busy town

to do peaceful work.

 

Vocation