Thursday, March 9, 2023

Beannacht

The eternal world and the mortal world are not parallel, rather they are fused.
~John O'Donohue


Happy Poetry Friday! How are y'all doing? I had a lovely birthday earlier this week. Thank you for the good wishes :) Next week I am hoping to celebrate the 16th anniversary of starting this blog, assuming I can get myself organized.

Two poems today, starting with a blessing from John O'Donohue. Isn't his voice great?



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On the Subject of Poetry
by W.S. Merwin

I do not understand the world, Father.
By the millpond at the end of the garden
There is a man who slouches listening
To the wheel revolving in the stream, only
There is no wheel there to revolve.

He sits in the end of March, but he sits also
In the end of the garden; his hands are in
His pockets. It is not expectation
On which he is intent, nor yesterday
To which he listens. It is a wheel turning...

read the rest here

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My Juicy Little Universe has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Heidi!

15 comments:

Linda Mitchell said...

First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! And, that is some kind of crazy=great paper crafting by your Mom. I love it. Thanks for the wonderful poems. 'On the subject of Poetry' is one that pulls me in deeper and deeper, each line. The whole playing with that word, Father. It's so well done...he makes it look easy.

Amy LV said...

Happy happy birthday! Thank yo ufor all of the gifts you give to us all year...and for so many years! I love Merwin...and that your mom makes such beautiful cards. Cheers! xo, a.

Irene Latham said...

Happy birthday, Tab! That card from your mom is a work of art! And I tucking O'Donohue's "clarity of light" into my "Light" file. Thank you! xo

Heidi said...

Well, I just love that there is a Merwin "Conservancy", and as usual, what a March poem you have found for us...this is my favorite kind of poem, with so much work done for us and yet so much for us to do on our own. Looking forward to your 16th bloggiversary!

Heidi said...

I'll have to listen to Beannacht when I'm not in a "quiet room" as I am right now...

Bridget Magee said...

Judging by your mom's amazing card, the creativity apple did not fall far from the tree!
Happy birthday, Tabatha! Thank you for O'Donohue's soothing voice and his "flock of colours".:)

Denise Krebs said...

Tabatha, I hope you had a great birthday! And congratulations on 16 years blogging! You started at the beginning, it seems. O'Donohue's voice is wonderful, and I can't get over this stanza in his poem:

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

Linda B said...

It's time for a celebration, that your birthday held a big one including your mother's lovely card, and you return the gifts to us with poems new, also examining life, something that enriches us when we do, I think. Yes, I love O'Donohue's voice. Thanks, Tabatha. Sixteen years is a lot of poetry!

Buffy Silverman said...

Happy birthday, Tabatha! That card from your mom is a work of art...And thanks for the poems. Going off to listen to some wheels turning.

Michelle Kogan said...

Oh my, what a gorgeous poem "Beannacht/Blessing" is, I had to find it online so I could read it again more slowly and take in all his lovely words,
"may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green
and azure blue,
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight."
And
"may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home."
And the ending too!
Beautiful poem by W.S. Merwin also.
Happy, Happy, Birthday, Tabatha, and thanks for sharing your Nature filled beautiful B-Day Card, what a treasure! And I look forward to your blog Celebration! xox

Patricia Franz said...

Beautiful, O'Donohue poem, Tabatha. And yes, he had a lovely voice!

Carol Varsalona said...

Tabatha, thank you for the lovely gifts of poems. I loved listening to O'Donohue's voice. (may a flock of colours...come to awaken in you a meadow of light) The second poem I need to ponder further. Happy Birthday. Enjoy a weekend of fun.

Susan T. said...

Another Pisces! Happy birthday, Tabatha.

Ruth said...

I LOVE Beannacht -- thanks for sharing it!

Karen Edmisten said...

Happy birthday, happy birthday week, happy birthday month! :D

And ah, so many years of blogging! Me too. How has it been more than a decade and a half??

O'Donohue has a wonderful voice and I always love Merwin. Thanks, Tabatha.

Enjoy all your celebrations!