Another year draws to a close. And what a year it has been - for many, filled with triumphs and tragedies. And so we may pause, in our moments of celebrations, between the hoopla and the hustle and rush, and consider - reflect on what we've accomplished and achieved, perhaps even, set new goals. However you celebrate and wherever you are, I do wish you Peace and Light for the endings an old year brings, and Hope as the new begins.
And so, one final little poem, to perhaps just whet an appetite, hopefully not over satiated:
"Days We Would Rather Know" by Michael Blumenthal
There are days we would rather know
than these, as there is always, later,
a wife we would rather have married
than whom we did, in that severe nowness
time pushed, imperfectly, to then. Whether,
standing in the museum before Rembrandt's "Juno,"
we stand before beauty, or only before a consensus
about beauty, is a question that makes all beauty
suspect ... and all marriages. Last night,
leaves circled the base of the ginkgo as if
the sun had shattered during the night
into a million gold coins no one had the sense
to claim. And now, there are days we would
rather know than these, days when to stand
before beauty and before "Juno" are, convincingly,
the same, days when the shattered sunlight
seeps through the trees and the women we marry
stay interesting and beautiful both at once,
and their men. And though there are days
we would rather know than now, I am,
at heart, a scared and simple man. So I tighten
my arms around the woman I love, now
and imperfectly, stand before "Juno" whispering
beautiful beautiful until I believe it, and—
when I come home at night—I run out
into the day's pale dusk with my broom
and my dustpan, sweeping the coins from the base
of the ginkgo, something to keep for a better tomorrow:
days we would rather know that never come.
And so Toads, travelers and friends, here is the moment - to share one last poem on the platform for 2018.
Choose your poem. Link up. Come back to catch your breath and rest up - reading and sharing your comments, once again, before the days change over to a new leaf - clean sheets (pages) and we walk into 2019.
Happy Holidays and Poeming -
16 comments:
Pat, thank you so much for hosting on Christmas Day! And for the gracious way you have hosted the Tuesday Platform this year. It has always been a pleasure to read your choice of poem, and your thoughtful commentary.
Wishing a joy-filled day to all, who celebrate Christmas, and who do not. May the spirit of giving imbue our little garden for another year.
It's a happy PJ-wearing, Chinese-food-eating, relaxation-palooza day for me. But I hope everyone who celebrates today has a wonderfully Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone!🎄❄🎁💞 Sharing an old but favorite poem today 😊
Welcome welcome - to one and all -
Happy Holidays and may your celebrations of the festive season be filled with light and joy, laughter and peace. And happy and safe travels (literally for those of you on the move and figuratively). And most certainly since this is the last Platform for 2018, I wish everyone a very wonderful New Year too. I hope 2019 will bring us all much needed peace, and light in the world and on a more personal note, I hope that whatever personal difficulties and experiences friends and travellers here at Toads have lived and often shared, through their poems and stories, will ease up. May we all be blessed with Health and Happiness, Joy and Abundance, and really, doesn't Prosperity flow from this? So Happy Holidays and thank you all - for participating and sharing and being so encouraging in this community.
And so, on to the Platform and all the wonderful gifts and treasures for this week.
I'll be popping back in and out over the next few days :)
Kerry thank you for such lovely words and thoughts, as well as the opportunity to participate and contribute at Toads.
Rommy sounds like a lovely leisure day - hope it's filled with cheer. :)
Sanaa Have a cup of cheer and bright tidings. :)
Happy Xmas everyone. I have had a lovely, lazy, self-indulgent day. Thought I'd pop over here just before bedtime in case there was a prompt. And guess what, I just happen to have a newish poem that hasn't been seen by many yet, and which it would probably be god to leave behind with the ending year. Thanks for the opportunity.
*good to leave behind (but maybe God has something to do with it too).
Rosemary happy cups of cheer to you too - and enjoy the rest and lazy days of relaxation :)
as for God - LOL! well, the divine works in mysterious ways, and so it is, as you've noted, perhaps right timing to leave something new for old, sharing it here, in one last go, before the new year walks in - looking forward to reading your words, as well as everyone else a bit later on.
Hello all,
Merry Christmas everyone... I have been struck with a flu, but finally I'm slowly recovering for some dark poetry
Thanks a million for hosting, Pat. I hope you get to spend the day (and the holiday season) exactly as you wish. May next year brings nothing but yumminess.
Happiest Holidays, everyone.
Bjorn wishing you a most speedy recovery and strength in rest so you may enjoy your holiday season. As several old witches I knew would say, "get some fresh air" (in small doses) - you will feel better and of course, nothing cures like chicken soup.
Magaly my pleasure and I wish you all the best, including tons more light in love, as you continue to fight the fight. Celebrate your holidays with cheer and spirited fire in your heart and may the new year bring you nothing but positive and most excellent news and results.
Hi all. A very happy Christmas to you all. I am recuperating from a bad fall last week and so will catch up on my post and comment. Thank you Pat for hosting.
Thanks, and thanks for posting that poem, I enjoyed reading it!
I hope you're having a joyful holiday!
Thank you for hosting on Christmas Day, Pat, and I apologise for joining you a day late but I was having too much fun with my grandson in the morning and missing him badly when he was gone in the afternoon. I hope you are all enjoying the holiday. Belated merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to all.. Hope everyone enjoyed the day.Thank you for your good wishes Pat. Get well soon.
Toni I hope you aren't too banged up and bruised. I too fell the other day, but thankfully, it hasn't been too bad. Safe and gentle recovery and happy holidays.
Lon happy holidays to you too :)
Kim New holiday moments become wonderful memories, and this is what, baby's first Christmas? :D So it's more than fine to be "late" here, the light is on and there is usually someone about ;) Happy Holidays to you too.
Cress Happy holidays to you too.
Michael Blumenthal is a near contemporary poet I would like to read more of. I did like his "Days we would rather know." I've had some of those. It did flow my juices towards the five lines I wrote.
An apology here, to those who left me comments on my last two writings. Some I did not get to return reading all your poems for those days, I am sorry. I could still show up but not likely, the years end is fast approaching and I am not ready for that either.
..
Post a Comment