Thursday, November 21, 2013

Thursday Poem - Things to Believe In

trees, in general; oaks, especially;
burr oaks that survive fire, in particular;
and the generosity of apples

seeds, all of them: carrots like dust,
winged maple, doubled beet, peach kernel;
the inevitability of change

frogsong in spring; cattle
lowing on the farm across the hill;
the melodies of sad old songs

comfort of savory soup;
sweet iced fruit; the aroma of yeast;
a friend's voice; hard work

seasons; bedrock; lilacs;
moonshadows under the ash grove;
something breaking through

Patricia Monaghan
Many thanks to my mermaid sister, Joanna Powell Colbert, for bringing the late Patricia Monaghan's lovely reflective poem back to my attention.   The poem was originally published in Patricia's chapbook, Grace of Ancient Land.

5 comments:

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Thank you for introducing me to
a new writer...

Joanna Powell Colbert said...

Oh how I love this poem!

kerrdelune said...

Me too, Joanna, and I miss Pat.

Barbara Rogers said...

I think it's time for me to look at Patricia's books again. Sigh, to think of her looking at us from the other side, and I wonder is she smiling?

Kameshwari said...

Perfect poem for me on this day.

How does one know if they are a mermaid?