~Fra Giovanni Giocondo, attributed
Rerun time! This post is from 2013.
Andi at A Wrung Sponge wrote about Giving Thanks: Poems, Prayers, and Praise Songs of Thanksgiving, which was compiled by Katherine Paterson and illustrated by Pamela Dalton. I bought it immediately -- what a visually and spiritually lovely book!
Paterson shares this prayer attributed to Father Giovanni Giocondo, circa 1433-1515:
I salute you! There is nothing I can give you which you have not; but there is much, that, while I cannot give, you can take.
No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take Heaven.
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant. Take Peace.
The gloom of the world is but a shadow, behind it, yet, within our reach, is joy. Take Joy.
And so, at this Christmas time, I greet you, with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away.
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Wendell Berry again, Tabatha? Yes...
When I rise up
by Wendell Berry
When I rise up
let me rise up joyful
like a bird
When I fall
let me fall without regret
like a leaf.
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Wee Words for Wee Ones has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Bridget!
15 comments:
Thanks for a lovely post, Tabatha! The Wendell Berry link takes me to a blank page - maybe it's just me?
Thank you for the heads up, Ruth! I ended up just adding the rest. I try to just link to things I don't have permission to share, but this one is so commonly used (and has been made into a song) that I thought maybe I could get away with sharing the whole thing.
I love it! Thank you for adding the whole thing. I'm not familiar with the song. Off to look for it...
Love the internet...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dimO6gmv804
When this book came out I gave copies to a few family members and friends, it is a wonderful book. And Wendell Berry's wish is perfect for today. Thanks, Tabatha.
Thank you for this dose of beauty today. Both poems are inspiring and profound. I think I have that book somewhere; need to dig it up!
Both of these are wonderful Tabatha, but that Wendell Berry reminds me that I need to read more of his work. Perhaps it's because I am getting on in years, but I love love love that last stanza.
Rerun or not, it's perfect, Tabatha. That Wendell Berry poem is a wowser, isn't it?
This prayer from Father Giovanni so beautifully echoes a conversation I had over the Thanksgiving dinner table last night, and if I'm not mistaken, my minister's "signature" benediction includes the last line.
I need this reminder of the present very much. Thanks for rerunning this post!
Lovely post... thank you. Tabatha!
Thankful for you, and for these two prayers to see me through.
A post worth repeating! I especially love the Wendell Berry. No such thing as too much Wendell Berry.
Thank you for the introduction to Wendell Berry and these two poems in particular. I want to 'fall without regret/ like a leaf'. Yes, please. I am thankful to be back in the PF world to read your posts again, Tabatha! =)
I don't think you can share too many poems by Wendell Berry. This is one beautiful, and I love the prayer. It is perfect for these days. I'll have to look for the collection. I've missed it till now.
Thank you for reposting, I don't think I was here for the first time round. And how magical and beautiful the Wendell Berry poem is. I'm familiar with "Giving Thanks" by Katherine Paterson and I had it checked out of the library for many renewals. Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving!
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