It was an interesting day. In the midst of it, Parker Palmer posted a poem by Wendell Berry on Facebook. It is a special day when Parker posts a poem by Wendell Berry, Mary Oliver, or himself. The poem was How to Be a Poet (to remind myself). Wendell Berry is low tech and uses a typewriter to craft his words. Parker pointed to an aspect of the poem’s message: “Shun electric wire/Communicate slowly/Live a three-dimensional life.”The slow of life is worth something. It lets us be the person we are most fully.
Later, I began to think about two songs by two artists I enjoy and have seen multiple times live. Guy Clark sings The Carpenter and John Wort Hannam sings With the Grain. Both songs are rich with the metaphors of living a three-dimensional life. It is no coincidence the topic is that of a carpenter in both cases. It is about true to one’s self and living a life with value.
Sabbath
Silence, solitude, sacred
A mountain’s strength
The sky’s expanse
A lake mirrors
Words of wisdom
Spoken so softly.
Disconnect to reconnect
Listen that silent sacred space
The inner teacher beckons
Be present
Wisdom revealed
Let it heal, repair
A single thread at a time
The web of life so fragile.
Questions emerge
Hold gently
Live their mystery
They answer only when ready
Until then they lie dormant
Ready when ready
Embrace life as it is.
I salute you and take my leave for a few hours. Have a wonderful 16th of July.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 