During the long period of isolation of Covid 19 I found inspiration and hope by taking walks and hikes in Bernheim Arboretum Research Forest, (photo above) a few miles south of Louisville, Kentucky. It was only a 20 minute drive to this wonderful forest which during Covid I called “my happy place.” Some 41 years earlier the writer, novelist and poet Wendell Berry who lives and farms in Kentucky, began a series of Sabbath Poems, the first one written in 1979. On Sunday mornings it was his habit to take a walk in the nearby woods, and from these “sabbath walks” he writes about the beauty not only of the woods but of life itself. The poems were written while he sat in the woods. There are so many of these Sabbath poems I would like to share, but today I will share the very first one he wrote. Next week I will share some he wrote in 2005. For now, take this first of the Sabbath poems and listen carefully to the words and the silence between the words. Listen to the song not just of bird or coyote but the song of the writer. Listen to your own song and sing it with all the songs of the woods. Take a sabbath moment. Sit still, pause, ponder and pray.
I go among trees and sit still.
All my stirring becomes quiet
around me like circles on water.
My tasks lie in their places
where I left them, asleep like cattle.
Then what is afraid of me comes
and lives a while in my sight.
What it fears in me leaves me,
and the fear of me leaves it.
It sings, and I hear its song.
Then what I am afraid of comes.
I live for a while in its sight.
What I fear in it leaves it,
and the fear of it leaves me.
It sings, and I hear its song.
After days of labor,
mute in my consternations,
I hear my song at last,
and I sing it. As we sing,
the day turns, the trees move. A Timbered Choir, Wendell Berry
Prayer:
Lord of the Sabbath,
hear my daily prayer.
Help me to find a few
moments to be still,
and in this stillness, replenish
my soul with the breath of your Spirit.
Lord, today I imagine on all the prayers
prayed in “holy places,” all the candles
burning in “holy places.” Hear these prayers
as we seek to be mindful of
this precious gift of life and of you, O Holy God.
Today, we pray not only for ourselves but for those
who seem always too busy to pray and for those
who think they don’t know how to pray.
Lord God, come close, hear our song with
the whole of creation, giving praise to you,
Lord of Life. Amen.
Prayers, Poems, and Christian Ponderings 
I am very fond of Berry’s poetry, but have only known of it for a few years. A friend shared with me, The Peace of Wild Things just after the 2016 presidential election. I found it very soothing and have since enjoyed many of his poems. I look forward to seeing your upcoming choices!
The one you share here reminds me of my sweet mother-in-law. She spent the majority of her years preceding her death living alone in a house much larger than necessary. She would often become frightened at night, hearing sounds that worried her. We finally suggested that perhaps moving into an apartment close to friends might be a good idea. Her response surprised us when she said, “Oh, I will be ok. All I need to do is go outside and walk around the house then sit for a while to realize there is nothing there to fear.” It seemed good wisdom to me and still reaffirms the benefits of stillness, something our world needs more of these days.
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Prayer for All
Lord, may stillness
Banish fear in us and between us
To understand, we are all afraid
And desperately need your devine grace
Amen
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Thanks Tom, Apologies for the delay in responding!
Edward
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