Tag: appreciation

poetry appreciation

too much reality

Mar 10, 2022 #amazement, #appreciation, #awe, #experience, #fear, #Fortune, #gratitude, #grief, #hope, #Howe, #innocence, #Kennedy, #lucky, #Marie Howe, #presence, #september 12 2001, #The Gate, #wonder, #XJ Kennedy by Lucy Crispin

There’s a lot of reality to deal with at the moment. As ever, I’m helped by poetry—and by sharing it; and by the conversations it stimulates. For some reason this poem in particular has been calling me over the last few days. Perhaps ‘The Gate‘ by Marie Howe might be helpful for you too. Let me know.

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poetry appreciation

remember those emergency lanterns?

Feb 17, 2022 #alchemy, #alive, #amazement, #appreciation, #death, #emergency lantern, #energy, #Eve L Ewing, #Ewing, #existential, #glad, #gladness, #gratitude, #inspire, #inspiring, #joy, #joyful, #Libby Purves, #life, #mindful, #mindfulness, #presence, #Purves, #uplifting, #wonder by Lucy Crispin

The ones Libby Purves referred to when she spoke of how poetry could function? Well, for me this poem, ‘testify‘ by Eve L Ewing, is a great emergency lantern. Does it shine a light for you?

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poetry appreciation

thank you

Oct 22, 2020 #anger, #appreciate, #appreciation, #fear, #Gay, #gratitude, #mindful, #mindfulness, #miracle, #mortality, #ode to the west wind, #Percy Bysshe Shelley, #poem, #poetry, #presence, #present, #Ross Gay, #Shelley, #sorrow, #Thank you by Lucy Crispin

At the moment, the world is offering us lots of reminders that life is short and time’s winged chariot is always hurrying near. It’s easy to get sucked into fear, anger or sorrow about this. They’re all around us (as well as inside us). So I was particularly delighted to discover this poem which suggests a different and beautiful response to intimations of mortality. Here it is: ‘Thank you‘ by Ross Gay. Read it and be refreshed. (You can also hear him read a couple of bits from a recent book here.)

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poetry appreciation
poetry appreciation

postmen, like doctors

Jun 4, 2020 #Allegro, #appreciation, #Aubade, #bad news, #connection, #doctors, #Don Paterson, #everyday, #godparent, #good news, #gratitude, #help, #hope, #joy, #Larkin, #mindful, #mindfulness, #Paterson, #Philip Larkin, #postmen, #Waking with Russell by Lucy Crispin

Larkin’s magnificent, monumental poem ‘Aubade‘ speaks with a terrible, alchemical beauty about death and the fear of death. It closes with the line ‘Postmen like doctors go from house to house’ which, in context, says something very Larkin-y and shiversome about death’s inevitability; we’ll all get those visits from doctors, sooner or later. Would Larkin be horrified, though, if he knew how that line popped into my head with a totally different feel to it, about half an hour ago, when the postman delivered two unexpected letters and, with them, great joy?

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