(I followed the link to the Butterfly Project, and, didn't find poetry, and, did find someone's gorgeous watercolors ... therefore, where is this nature poetry of which you speak? Perhaps Gary Snyder is the nearest contemporary nature poet whose work I have loved. Sometimes Robert Duncan's poems are powerful because of the natural world evocations he deploys)
Well, good sir, let me send you a book with said nature poetry! If you DM me your mailing address, I'll send it tomorrow. And yes, you're right the site doesn't highlight any of my poems, as Heidy (the watercolorist) was the true artist-in-residence for The Butterfly Project, and she invited me, as a kind of secondary artist, to write poems in response to her paintings, and then it culminated in an all day gathering at the L'Abri here in Massachusetts, that included a gallery of her paintings, a poetry reading by yours truly, and some wonderful teaching on creation care from the A Rocha founders, Peter and Miranda Harris. It was a highlight of my life, to be perfectly honest. And Heidy continues the project in some ways, whereas my contribution was for 2017-2019 primarily.
Ashes, awareness of death, reminders of mortality, longings for the age to come, all can be calls to humility. But no more are they fearful chains of bondage. I heard in your countdown the hope of eternity.
The crisp way you write of the physical and ordinary here with a subtle undercurrent of depth, humanity, and the invisible divine is gripping. So layered for those willing to grasp, and hold on❤️
God bless you. I am so grateful for your gift of bringing out these juxtapositions between our mundane/pressed/rich/sad everyday and the eternal. So grateful.
This is one of my favorite poems from your collection.
Also, yesterday, Ash Wednesday, before cantoring our bilingual service, I was on the EFX at the gym 😊 Just now made the connection.
— 3, 2, 1 — memento mori
(I followed the link to the Butterfly Project, and, didn't find poetry, and, did find someone's gorgeous watercolors ... therefore, where is this nature poetry of which you speak? Perhaps Gary Snyder is the nearest contemporary nature poet whose work I have loved. Sometimes Robert Duncan's poems are powerful because of the natural world evocations he deploys)
Well, good sir, let me send you a book with said nature poetry! If you DM me your mailing address, I'll send it tomorrow. And yes, you're right the site doesn't highlight any of my poems, as Heidy (the watercolorist) was the true artist-in-residence for The Butterfly Project, and she invited me, as a kind of secondary artist, to write poems in response to her paintings, and then it culminated in an all day gathering at the L'Abri here in Massachusetts, that included a gallery of her paintings, a poetry reading by yours truly, and some wonderful teaching on creation care from the A Rocha founders, Peter and Miranda Harris. It was a highlight of my life, to be perfectly honest. And Heidy continues the project in some ways, whereas my contribution was for 2017-2019 primarily.
Ashes, awareness of death, reminders of mortality, longings for the age to come, all can be calls to humility. But no more are they fearful chains of bondage. I heard in your countdown the hope of eternity.
Beautifully said, and yes to what you heard in the countdown!
The crisp way you write of the physical and ordinary here with a subtle undercurrent of depth, humanity, and the invisible divine is gripping. So layered for those willing to grasp, and hold on❤️
Thank you, dear Lee, for such a heartening read on this poem.
Wow! Your words will surely ring in my head each time I use a treadmill / elliptical! Thanks for sharing this Anna!
I'm glad to be able to envision this, Gentley -- you on the treadmill, thinking about the ashes of Ash Wednesday!
God bless you. I am so grateful for your gift of bringing out these juxtapositions between our mundane/pressed/rich/sad everyday and the eternal. So grateful.
Also, I’m excited to buy your book!
Loved your Kyrie poem honey this Ash Wednesday morning! Dad