No opera, no gilded columns, no wine-dark seats…
no altos, no basses
and violins sobbing as one; no opera house,
no museum, no actual theatre, no civic center–
and what else? Only the huge doors of clouds
with the setting disc through which we leave and enter…
No masterpieces in huge frames to worship,
on such banalities has life been spent
in brightness, and yet there are the days
when every street corner rounds itself into
a sunlit surprise, a painting or a phrase,
canoes drawn up by the market, the harbour’s blue…
So much to do still, all of it praise.
~ Derek Walcott, from “No Opera” in White Egrets
Notes:
- Poem Source – Cha Journal Blog. Image: Via Mennyfox55
- Excerpt from “‘White Egrets” book review by Tom Payne in The Telegraph: “But some poems startle with their directness and truth; the images connect, and the ebbing tide leaves some real treasure on the beach. Among a handful of pearls is a love letter to his home, modest as Ithaca, with resonances of the poet’s life.”
sunday church service
that it is…
Beautiful. Thank you David. ❤️
Thanks Val, it is.
Beautiful.
It is…
Just beautiful; a gift this Sunday morning. Thank you, David.
It really is Roseanne. Thank you.
a stark truth and so beautiful and simple at heart
It is!
Heart sliced open in the beauty of these words.
Yes. Exactly like that Louise.
Beautiful post! Maya taped live feed for us & we watched it in Kelowna. Well deserved tribute to Lorne.
Terrific! Amazing how technology can bring good to so many.
Or this, from The Telegraph’s book review:
More haunting still is the recurring idea that the sea wipes beaches clean. Rather than offering forgiveness, the sea cleanses us of sin by offering the chance to forget: it is “a sea so / deep it has lost its stuttering memory of our hates”. Now the egrets can fly “into that peace / beyond desires and beyond regrets, / after my shadow passes with all its sins / into a green thicket of oblivion”.
Hope you and yours find peace – was with you in thoughts and silent prayers.
It was a wonderful crisp book review. Thanks Kiki.
Losing a sibling is always too soon. May the hole in your heart be filled with good memories of Lorne. So glad you spent time with him recently. I’m sure it meant a lot to both of you.
Thank you Linda. It was way too soon.
Amen. This was beautiful indeed. You so have the knack for finding just the right words in the millions you read…
Millions. About right if You round way way up. 😬
I don’t think I’m off 😉
Of course you aren’t! 🙂
How beautiful and evocative…made me think that where you grew up was or is just like that when at peace!
It did the same for me Valerie. Thanks.
What a view
It is.
Lovely words so well penned and the picture was so beautiful, David.
really is Kamal. Thank you.
Welcome David 😊