Posts
Hello Friends,
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| Woman Writing a Letter. May 2025 |
Our friend Ramona invited SJT writers to write to the prompt, summering.
Summer as a verb? A delicious thought.
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| Haarlem Flowers Linda M. 2025 |
For me, summer is a time of rest, relaxation, regeneration after long months of a school year. But what is going on in my soul at this time? That's a deeper question worth reflection.
A week ago, I arrived home after a trip to the Netherlands with my husband. It was glorious partly because I got away from overwhelming chaos in the US with a much needed news break as we traveled.
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| So many bicycles in Amsterdam. Linda M. 2025 |
One of the reasons I have always turned to reading and writing poetry is that it allows me time to process what feels overwhelming.
Recently, I listened to The Slowdown, a daily poetry reflection from American Public Media. The poem below read by Major Jackson reminded me to seek balance between bad and good, wrong and right, what's overwhelming and just right...it reminded me of Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminder that there is a season for everything.
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| https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57095/try-to-praise-the-mutilated-world-56d23a3f28187 |
I hope this poem brings your soul a reminder to seek balance and comfort as well. I hope that poetry also gives your heart and spirit space to process what can feel like too much -- even as we are in the sunny days of summering.
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| Haarlem flowers. Linda M. 2025 |
Thanks for your reflective post. I read the poem a few times to totally absorb it. I’ll go to the Slowdown to hear it, too. Your photos from Amsterdam make me long for travel. We are already experiencing the heat of summer, so the idea of getting away is tempting me.
ReplyDeleteOh Linda, I love the poem you shared with us. It's a good reminder to seek for balance amid our mutilated world. It is so easy to just focus on the chaos. Space to process and remember and breathe are wonderful summer rhythms.
ReplyDeleteLinda: Thank you for this tug toward balance, and for these beautiful flowers. The bouquet in the window looks so serene. I'm glad for your travel. Our family had a glorious weekend in Boulder recently, and I treasure the memories.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, Linda -- that balance! I'm feeling that need more and more. My dad died April 25th and in our collective grieving my family and I are trying to recall those "moments were were together/in a white room and the curtain fluttered" -- putting ourselves back into those beautiful times, as well as walking in the heartache. Yes, "Praise the mutilated world." Thank you for this reminder of balance.
ReplyDeleteLinda, the poem you shared allowed me to pause and think of how I can find the balance I need for this month's art of summering. A mutilated world is a sad title but the evening news does provide enough chaotic type of information on our world that does not seem to have its balance in tact. Your recent trip must have reset balance for you. Enjoy summering at your pace.
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