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The Hippopotamus and the Church!

T.S. Eliot’s love of cats soon became a collection of poems known as Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (Possum was Eliot’s nickname given to him by friend Ezra Pound). This is his only book of light verse which would eventually be turned into the stage musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber which opened in LondonContinue reading “The Hippopotamus and the Church!”

Suddenly

We lie back to back. Curtains lift and fall, like the chest of someone sleeping. Wind moves the leaves of the box elder; they show their light undersides, turning all at once like a school of fish. Suddenly I understand that I am happy. For months this feeling has been coming closer, stopping for shortContinue reading “Suddenly”

“being too happy in thine happiness”

The poem Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats (1795-1821) is regarded by many as a classic. There are just too many great lines to count, it might be easier to number the not so good lines of the total of 80 that make up the poem. Keats writes from a drowsy numbness as ifContinue reading ““being too happy in thine happiness””

The Fish

Do you remember the first time you were served fish with the head still on. There it was, presented to you and the eye of the fish looking straight at you, inviting a conversation, or at least a brief “hello.” I often to turn to Billy Collins when I am looking for a lighter mood,Continue reading “The Fish”

Swifties

In a recent article in the WSJ, the writer Adam Kirsch reviews Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department. Kirsch edits the WSJ Review, and is himself the author of four books of poetry. Dylan Thomas is the only poet referred to by name by Swift. Kirsch writes – In the title song, sheContinue reading “Swifties”

The Facts of Life

The Facts of LifeThat you were bornand you will die. That you will sometimes love enoughand sometimes not. That you will lieif only to yourself. That you will get tired. That you will learn most from the situationsyou did not choose. That there will be some things that move youmore than you can say. ThatContinue reading “The Facts of Life”

A host of golden daffodils

It is once again that wonderful time of year when daffodils abound. The photo above is Ullswater Lake in the Lake District in northern England. It was while walking home to Grasmere along with his sister Dorothy, that William Wordsworth enjoyed the sight of a host of golden daffodils. In fact it is Dorothy whoContinue reading “A host of golden daffodils”

A Thin Place

The poet Robert Crawford describes the Isle of Iona, in the inner Hebrides, as a place where“spirit, imagination, and physical exertion mingle” The photograph above is of the replica of St. John’s Cross. The original high cross stood on Iona from the the late 7th century, and today fragments of this original cross can beContinue reading “A Thin Place”

“Candle against the wind”

As I promised in my last post, I return to more of Wendell Berry’s Sabbath poems. The poems below can be found in his book Leavings and these Sabbath poems are dated 2005-2008. Berry asks the question, How may a human being come to rest? For all too many of us “rest” does not comeContinue reading ““Candle against the wind””

“I go among trees and sit still”

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 yearsContinue reading ““I go among trees and sit still””