December 31, 2010 @ 8:37 am | Filed under: Poetry
These are poems that grabbed me this week. The Wendell Berry was quoted by Anne Lamott just after the Bird by Bird passage I posted on Wednesday. The Dickinson came my way in the recent New Yorker review of C. D. Wright’s One With Others, a book which sounds well worth seeking out.
Tell All the Truth
by Emily Dickinson
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant—
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth’s superb surprise
As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind—
The Wild Rose
by Wendell Berry
Sometimes hidden from me
in daily custom and in trust,
so that I live by you unaware
as by the beating of my heart.
Suddenly you flare in my sight,
a wild rose blooming at the edge
of thicket, grace and light
where yesterday was only shade,
and once again I am blessed, choosing
again what I chose before.
This week’s Poetry Friday roundup can be found at Carol’s Corner.
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This is sublime. Love the photo with the poem.
Posted on December 31st, 2010 at 9:40 am“The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind—”
and yet,
“Suddenly you flare in my sight…”
Maybe we can settle on SOMETIMES dazzle gradually, and SOMETIMES flaring into sight? (Otherwise, you’d turn away from things like the love in that picture, and the love you can feel behind the camera that took that picture!!)
Posted on January 1st, 2011 at 3:38 amOne of my EmilyFavorites, and I just adore Wendell Berry and this one startles and holds me every time.
Happy, happy new year!
Posted on January 1st, 2011 at 8:34 amI love the last picture (of Scott reading to little cutie on the couch). so sweet.
Posted on January 4th, 2011 at 9:31 pm