Poetry Friday - Holding Good Things Close

 

created by Linda Mitchell

          It's Poetry Friday, and Robyn Hood-Black is hosting HERE on her blog, Life On The Deckle Edge. Thanks for hosting, Robyn! Wishing you a wonderful day with all your company!

         The world whirls and I'm getting dizzy! Are you? I am trying to find good news, yet lately, it hasn't been easy. I imagine each of you knows this poem by William Stafford, a favorite I used to send my students off with good wishes at the end of the year, a favorite I keep near. I've shared it in recent years and may share it again! 

         How did he know we needed to celebrate a moment that we can find and hold closely? If you know it, remind yourselves how special it is. If you don't, enjoy it this first time and keep it close!

       I'm taking the rest of the month off, needing some prep for a coming family trip toward the end of July, back to Costa Rica, where will hold those days very close indeed!

You Reading This, Be Ready

                              by William Stafford

Starting here, what do you want to remember?
How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?
What scent of old wood hovers, what softened
sound from outside fills the air?

Will you ever bring a better gift for the world
than the breathing respect that you carry
wherever you go right now? Are you waiting
for time to show you some better thoughts?

     read the rest HERE

Poetry Friday -How We Can Be

 

            Mary Lee Hahn, our "manager", hosts our Poetry Friday today at A Year of Reading. And she is sharing a cover reveal of a book on its way to us in the new year! You must visit to see about this book and who wrote it, who designed the cover. Thanks, Mary Lee!

           I have a number of poems collected that center on what feels important in life. William Stafford often writes about those parts of life. These poems, among many others, are what has sustained me this year of "new challenges". I grabbed a folder of those poems and chose this one by William Stafford. When I searched for it, I discovered that Mary Lee shared it back in 2016 HERE, and I love the serendipity that on her hosting day I chose this very poem. Now we can again take solace in the message to find our own "Little corners like this, pieces of Heaven". 

                             Everyone needs a sofa in their office, right?

Any Morning
by William Stafford

Just lying on the couch and being happy.
Only humming a little, the quiet sound in the head.
Trouble is busy elsewhere at the moment, it has
so much to do in the world.

People who might judge are mostly asleep; they can't
monitor you all the time, and sometimes they forget.
When dawn flows over the hedge you can
get up and act busy.

Little corners like this, pieces of Heaven
left lying around, can be picked up and saved.
People won't even see that you have them,
they are so light and easy to hide.

Later in the day you can act like the others.
You can shake your head. You can frown.

Poetry Friday - Being Ready

              Poetry Friday this final one in May is hosted by Margaret Simon at Reflections on The Teche! Thanks, Margaret, for sending us off into summer!

Photo- Linda Baie

        I spent many years saying goodbye in Continuation Ceremonies and with speeches to my students. I taught gifted middle-school students in an independent school and our continuation ceremony felt as important as high school graduations, though not quite as big. Usually, in my speeches to the students and the guests in the audience, I shared a poem, hoping they could take the wise words of a poet on with them. I'm thinking of all of you who are saying your goodbyes to your own grown-up children or students today, sharing the beautiful and wise words of William Stafford. 

You Reading This, Be Ready

Starting here, what do you want to remember?

How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?

What scent of old wood hovers, what softened

sound from outside fills the air?

Will you ever bring a better gift for the world

than the breathing respect that you carry

wherever you go right now? Are you waiting

for time to show you some better thoughts?

When you turn around, starting here, lift this

new glimpse that you found; carry into evening

all that you want from this day. This interval you spent

reading or hearing this, keep it for life -

What can anyone give you greater than now,

starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?

~ William Stafford ~

     Thank you to all those who have served our country. I appreciate each one who has stood in harm's way for us.