I’ve been . . . in a mood.
It happens to me sometimes. Too much thinking. Not enough sleeping. Needing to do things that don’t seem all that appealing. People who don’t call back. Doldrums, perhaps? Running out of patience? Who knows.
What might lighten my load? A good session weeding and deadheading in my garden would surely help. Or playing around with some art supplies. Or getting out some lovely yarn and starting something new, maybe. Meeting up with a friend for some catching up and a laugh.
And poetry.
Poetry always helps.
Here’s what I’ve gathered up for us today . . .
The Thing Is
Ellen Bassto love life, to love it even
when you have no stomach for it
and everything you’ve held dear
crumbles like burnt paper in your hands,
your throat filled with the silt of it.
When grief sits with you, its tropical heat
thickening the air, heavy as water
more fit for gills than lungs;
when grief weights you like your own flesh
only more of it, an obesity of grief,
you think, How can a body withstand this?
Then you hold life like a face
between your palms, a plain face,
no charming smile, no violet eyes,
and you say, yes, I will take you
I will love you, again.
And now?
On to the gardening . . .
Today’s poem comes from Ellen Bass. You can read more about her – and see more of her poems – here. I have this poem permanently bookmarked in my copy of Poetry of Presence: An Anthology of Mindfulness Poems edited by Phyllis Cole-Dai and Ruby R. Wilson and published by Grayson Books in 2017.
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You can find A Gathering of Poetry every month . . . on the third Thursday.
Share some.
Read some.
Gather up some poetry!
(Bonny is hosting a special link-up for A Gathering of Poetry. Be sure to check it out.)
that sky certainly stops me in my tracks! and I’m smiling and nodding yes to the poem. Thanks for sharing – and enjoy that gardening time!
This is a poem that speaks to so many of us and says what we have to do to get through the endless days when we think it can’t get any worse (and yet always does). Thanks for sharing.
Oh, what a great poem. I think I’ll have to save that one. I hope your garden session helps!
A great poem that describes very well how I feel every day, trying to be grateful to be alive and love life because what else is there? Thanks for this, Kym.
Beautifully said, Ms Bass! These days are… challenging… sigh. Thank you so much for sharing this poem! (Thankfully the garden is always there with something that needs doing!)
This is the poem I think we all needed right now! Thank you for sharing it; it was new to me and much welcomed.
I love this poem. I also have it bookmarked in my anthology copy. I hope gardening is helpful. I find it satisfying to tidy, clean even a small patch in the garden while getting the benefits of the smell of the soil and plants.