Pages

▼

Thursday, December 3, 2020

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.



at

24 comments:

  1. Bridget MageeDecember 4, 2020 at 3:01 AM

    Oh I love that you shared Stafford's poem this week, Linda. I love the lines: "Trouble is busy elsewhere at the moment, it has
    so much to do in the world" - Trouble must be exhausted after 2020. Thanks for this poetic respite. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. TabathaDecember 4, 2020 at 6:40 AM

    Great pick, Linda! ♥️

    ReplyDelete
  3. jamaDecember 4, 2020 at 9:01 AM

    I've always loved this poem. Wonderful to read it again today, on Mary Lee's birthday. Hooray for serendipity!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Linda MitchellDecember 4, 2020 at 1:21 PM

    What a wonderful poem...it's deceptively light. But, it's full of what is important. Yes, I would love a couch in my office. I would love to take naps when I'm tired instead of when I find time to. Wonderful pick.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fran HaleyDecember 4, 2020 at 4:02 PM

    A lovely offering of light - with so much truth. I, too, appreciate that Trouble is busy and that those who would judge are still asleep - and finding the pieces of Heaven "so light and easy to hide." And so we must cling to those! They will get us through...

    ReplyDelete
  6. michelle koganDecember 4, 2020 at 4:26 PM

    I'd like to pick up a few pieces of this heaven and stash them away–for when that trouble gets a bit too close. Your poem goes so well with the poem that Tabatha shared,"Listen Will You Learn to Hear Me from Afar," thanks Linda!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Carol VarsalonaDecember 5, 2020 at 6:56 AM

    Linda, this line stands out to me: "Trouble is busy elsewhere at the moment, it has/so much to do in the world." I want to curl up on the couch and find a "piece of Heaven". I have been so exhausted lately with what seems like 10-hour days of work with the two houses that I often fall asleep over my computer. Hence, I never got through PF reading yesterday. We are off to a walkthrough of my new house tomorrow but need to return home on Monday afternoon to see if I will indeed have a contract for the sale of my LI home. This is exciting but the sad part is that VA COVID numbers are on the upswing and my daughter is so worried that I will not be able to see the family. I need to find "Little corners like this, pieces of Heaven".

    ReplyDelete
  8. laurasalasDecember 5, 2020 at 7:06 AM

    This is lovely, Linda. I've seen bits and pieces of Stafford, but I've never "read him," if you know what I mean. Okay, question: Which Stafford book should I start with?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Linda BDecember 5, 2020 at 8:42 AM

    Thank you to everyone! I have some catching up to do to read the rest of Friday's posts, and appreciate your comments, happy that you loved the poem. Laura, choose any of Stafford's work, but one I loved is a bio by his son, Kim, titled "Early Morning", telling so much about the poet & including some of his poems.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. laurasalasDecember 5, 2020 at 12:30 PM

      Thanks, Linda. My library has an e-book of Stafford's ASK ME: 100 ESSENTIAL POEMS. So I've checked that out. I have crystal memories of reading several of his poems at different places and times, and they just smacked me. But when I paged through a collection of his--somewhere at some point--the first few I read didn't smack me. I'm really looking forward to diving in and seeing if he's one of those poets who has occasional (for me) gems that speak directly to my heart, or if I find I really enjoy most of his work. An adventure!

      Delete
    2. Linda BDecember 5, 2020 at 3:43 PM

      Each of us is different in our likes & dislikes but I have enjoyed much of Stafford's work. I hope you find some poems that you love! I just bought Billy Collins' Whale Day, am anxious to get into that!

      Delete
  10. Janice ScullyDecember 5, 2020 at 12:51 PM

    I so love this poem! I'd never read it, so thank you for sharing it. Now I definitely want to read more of his work.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mary LeeDecember 6, 2020 at 7:26 AM

    How fun to revisit this poem! I love this

    "Little corners like this, pieces of Heaven
    left lying around, can be picked up and saved."

    Great reminder to be on the alert for the little stuff, which accumulated, will float us through the biggest storms.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda BDecember 6, 2020 at 4:38 PM

      Yes, we certainly need an enhanced ability to float! : ) Thanks, Mary Lee

      Delete
  12. susanbruck.comDecember 6, 2020 at 2:40 PM

    This is a lovely poem--and one I haven't read before. It's an especially good time to treasure those "pieces of heaven." Poetry Friday is one of those for me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda BDecember 6, 2020 at 4:38 PM

      For me, too, Susan. I'm so glad I introduced a new poem to you! Thanks!

      Delete
  13. Kimberly HutmacherDecember 6, 2020 at 5:39 PM

    Love this little piece of light that you've shared, Linda. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda BDecember 7, 2020 at 5:54 AM

      You're welcome, Kimberly! Glad you enjoyed it!

      Delete
  14. Randomly ReadingDecember 7, 2020 at 6:04 AM

    Thank you for sharing this poem, Linda. It is just what is needed in these difficult times.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda BDecember 7, 2020 at 6:51 AM

      I love it, too, Alex, happy to share it for all of us! Thank you, too!

      Delete
  15. LindaDecember 7, 2020 at 3:45 PM

    I have always loved William Stafford's poems. I don't think I've read "Early Morning"- I'm going to check that one out. Thanks, Linda!

    ReplyDelete
  16. RuthDecember 9, 2020 at 12:40 PM

    I love this! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting!