The day my sister Dale died in 1981, I was surprised to find myself momentarily alone in her living room. I picked up a book of poetry. As I placed the book in my lap, it flipped open and the first words I read were:
We who are left, how shall we look again
Happily on the sun, or feel the rain,
Without remembering how they who went
Ungrudgingly, and spent
Their all for us, loved, too, the sun and rain?
A bird among the rain-wet lilac sings—
But we, how shall we turn to little things
And listen to the birds and winds and streams
Made holy by their dreams,
Nor feel the heart-break in the heart of things?
New to me at the time, it was a poem written at the end of World War I by William Lyon Phelps. It gave me gooseflesh and has remained with me ever since.
Wishing those others who are left, in so many places around the world, the chance to someday not feel the hearbreak in the heart of things.
I have no rain-wet lilacs. But I have heard birds singing among San Geraldo's sun-drenched hibiscuses. So, I'll share those and finish with a smile from a sweetly dreaming Dudo
(he of the toothy grin).
Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMichael:
DeleteAnd thank YOU!
There is beauty in the world and we must remember that..... many thanks.
ReplyDeleteWillym:
DeleteMay everyone suffering terrible losses be able to find it again.
Gratitude.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Hibiscus your partner has...truly stunning.
ReplyDeletemistress maddie:
DeleteHe takes good care of them and they thrive here. The city plants them along all the main thoroughfares through town. Brilliant.
Thanks Mitch for giving me my first smile in well over a day.
ReplyDeleteAnd I needed it.
Bob Slatten:
DeleteSo glad, Bob. You regularly do the same for me.
They're gawgeous. :)
ReplyDeleteWalt the Fourth:
DeleteThey're everywhere here and Jerry now has a breathtaking collection of color on the terrace.
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI have not been online for a few days to avoid all the news that is fit to print..and wandered into the happy area of my bookmarks and so glad I did ..
Classy man you are...!
Be well ...
Tim in France
Tim:
DeleteAlways so good to have a visit from you... and a reminder of the good people around the world.
Mitchell it is a great poem. So shame that you sister died at young age.. Take care and love from Poland
ReplyDeleteGosia:
DeleteThanks so much. I miss my sister every day, but she lived a much longer life than some. She was grateful for the time she had.
thank you for sharing this, mitchell.
ReplyDeleteanne marie:
DeleteI hoped it helped in some way. It did help me.
That poem very beautifully expresses heartbreaking loss and yet manages to remind us of the beauty that remains in the world, waiting to be seen again. Thank you for sharing it along with the sun-drenched hibiscus and sweetly dreaming Dudo; balms for injured souls.
ReplyDeleteWilma:
DeleteDudo is back, and smiling, on my lap (maybe it's my lap!!!). That poem and the fact that the book just flipped open to that page has powerful meaning for me.
Beautiful. I lost my brother a couple of years ago and still miss him greatly. He was only 15 months older than I.
ReplyDeleteMy heart breaks at the craziness of this country I was born and live in. Ecuador is looking better all the time.
Dudo and Moose are lovely beings.
Page:
DeleteMy sister died 35 years ago. It does get easier but the missing never goes away. Wishing you lots of sweet memories and new joys.
I'm not familiar with that poem but it's easy to understand why you find it so moving. I do too.
ReplyDeleteStephen:
DeleteVery powerful.
I too found this lovely.
ReplyDelete