Everything is going to be alright!

This month marks two years since the death of Northern Irish poet, Derek Mahon. Although his life of poetry is well celebrated I have not really come across his writing and for that I am deeply disappointed. Therefore, in the coming months I am looking forward to reading and studying his poetry which spans so many decades. Today, I will share with you a poem that seemed to become very popular during the “pandemic”. Way back in March 2020 when Ireland announced the need for lockdown, Irish television in making this announcement ended their broadcast with the reading of Mahon’s poem “Everything is going to be all right. ” It became a favorite of many during the pandemic. The following link should take you to Mahon reading his poem.https://www.facebook.com/rtenews/videos/everything-is-going-to-be-alright-by-derek-mahon/1635525406624799/

There are so many other poems by Mahon that I will share with you in the months ahead.

Everything Is Going To Be Alright – by Derek Mahon

How should I not be glad to contemplate
the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window
and a high tide reflected on the ceiling?
There will be dying, there will be dying,
but there is no need to go into that.
The poems flow from the hand unbidden
and the hidden source is the watchful heart.
The sun rises in spite of everything
and the far cities are beautiful and bright.
I lie here in a riot of sunlight
watching the day break and the clouds flying.
Everything is going to be all right.

Prayer:
Lord God,
I know that all is not well with the world.
The crises of climate change,
the clamor of the ballot box,
the suspicion of democracy,
the turmoil and terror of invasion and war,
all these things and more remind us that not all is well.
The world wide inequity of health and food remind us
that not all is well.
To you O Lord, Creator and Redeemer,
come to our aid. Breathe hope into our souls,
breathe, love into our hearts, breathe imagination
into our minds that we might bring
the impossible into reality.
As the sun rises with freshness and possibility,
might we rise from our beds intent on living
into your promise as we enter the new day.
Only through you O Holy God can we trust
that everything will be alright,
not just for me but for all,
not just for now, but always. Amen.