Tuesday 30 November 2021

START THE DAY WITH A POEM by Patricia Cleveland-Peck

 One morning not long ago a poem arrived in my inbox from a blog I enjoy* which I'd like to share with you. The poem Shinto, is by Borges and is a wonderful example of something I love in poetry - the use of lists. It also chimed with so many things I'd been feeling and thinking about both during and since lockdown.


I found myself saying yes, I have seen many unexpected faces from the past in dreams: yes, as a travel writer the yearning for for the compass has been intense at times; yes, if I find a book ( or anything ) I have lost I am almost euphoric and yes, yes, yes, yes, the smell of a library, the former name of as street, unforeseen etymologies and even the smoothness of a fingernail - these are things to which I completely relate.



Then, with the poem still in mind I set off on my late morning walk. Although it was definitely autumnal the sun was shining and as I made my way along the lane I suddenly noticed the most beautiful Red Admiral butterfly. It settled, wings spread wide basking in the sunshine for long enough for me to gaze at it for a long and happy moment.

A perfect 'windfall of mindfulness.'




Patricia Cleveland-Peck





1 comment:

Sue Purkiss said...

A lovely poem and a lovely post, Patricia. Thank you.