A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of introducing a good friend to this view point on his first trip to Scotland, commonly known as The Queen’s View. As I took the photo I was pleased to capture Schiehallion in the distance. The following has been written about this 3500ft hill. “Its shape, location,Continue reading “Inscape and Landscape”
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“Let America be America ….”
I turn today to the words of Langston Hughes. His words are always fresh, provocative, and inspiring. We cannot be the same person we were before, once we allow his words to enter into our heart and soul. I offer just a few verses from his poem Let America Be America Again. He never didContinue reading ““Let America be America ….””
Autumn
This is such a beautiful time of year and how I long for it year after year. At last the hot days of summer are past and the biting cold dark days of midwinter have not yet arrived. Readiness though is in the air, and the trees themselves are making ready as they shed theirContinue reading “Autumn”
“I wish we never had to wish”
Earlier this week I stood in line to cast my “vote” in early voting. The line was long, stretching outside of my local library. Once inside the library, the line wrapped around the perimeter of the book shelves. I felt fortunate that as I passed the shelves for preordered books there was one with myContinue reading ““I wish we never had to wish””
“Askernishing”
Askernish, is on the west coast of the island of South Uist, too small to be named on the map above. Yet here on the very western edge of Europe you will find the most unexpected and delightful golf course. https://www.askernishgolfclub.com/ The history of this course is another story! The former American poet laureate, BillyContinue reading ““Askernishing””
We calculate the outsides of all things,
It is sometimes said that vision is more important than sight. In other words, although we see things we lack “vision” to see the real possibility. Sometimes we busy ourselves calculating the outside of things, never bothering to truly measure or imagine what might be below the surface if only we could ponder longer orContinue reading “We calculate the outsides of all things,”
The Ad-dressing of Cats
Over the past few weeks there has been a lot of chat about “cats” in the ether! As if we didn’t know enough about Taylor Swift, we now know the names of her cats, Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button! The poet T.S. Eliot grew up here in St. Louis, although in adult lifeContinue reading “The Ad-dressing of Cats”
Fog -“the opposite of Pentecost”!
It may come as no surprise to you to learn that my desk diary is the Faber & Faber Poetry Diary 2024. Each week contains a poem and as I turned the pages into October, there it was, a poem by Christopher Reid from his book Toys/Tricks/Traps entitled Fog. As he describes fog descending toContinue reading “Fog -“the opposite of Pentecost”!”
Dance, that ye need no other day
You never have to explain chocolate cake, it is just chocolate cake, it needs no explanation, no elaboration, no analysis, it needs just one bite followed my many others and every bite confirms what the previous one confirmed, its chocolate cake pure and simple, so enjoy! The poetry of Philip Larkin often lends itself toContinue reading “Dance, that ye need no other day”
“Now I understand history”
I would love to introduce you to the poet Naomi Shihab Nye, a Palestinian American who lives in Texas. If there was space I would use so many of her poems. Today, I share two. This is the season of returning to school and beginning school. Parents with cameras and hugs send their child throughContinue reading ““Now I understand history””
Prayers, Poems, and Christian Ponderings 