Lightly Child, Lightly.

~ Live & Learn

Soft the dove-hued shadows mingle,
Color fades, sound droops to sleep.
Life and motion melt to darkness
Swaying murmurs far and deep.
But the night moth’s languid flitting
Stirs the air invisibly:
Oh, the hour of wordless longing;
I in all, and all in me.

Twilight—tranquil, brooding twilight,
Course through me, serene and smooth;
Quiet, languid, fragrant twilight,
Flood all depths, all sorrows soothe,
Every sense in dark and cooling
Self-forgetfulness immerse,—
Grant that I may taste extinction
In the dreaming universe.

— Fyodor Tyutchev, from Twilight; (Translated by Avrahm Yarmolinsky). Written in 1835.

Notes:

  • Photo: DK @ Twilight. 5:45 am, September 12, 2021. 67° F. Cove Island Park, Stamford, CT. (Yes, this shot is the dawn side of Twilight, not in alignment with this beautiful poem)
  • Post Title & Inspiration: Aldous Huxley: “It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them.”

28 thoughts on “Lightly Child, Lightly.”

  4. wow….’reminds me of one of my favorite Aldous Huxley lines from his novel “Chrome Yellow”: “….that drowsy, dozy state when sleep becomes a sensual pleasure almost consciously savoured.”

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  5. Wow… 19th-century beauty as crisp as our Roaring 20s!
    And from another’s pen:

    The world offers itself to your imagination,
    calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
    over and over announcing your place
    in the family of things. — Mary Oliver

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  6. This is so beautiful and poetry of this sort never goes out of style. By the way, your photo could have been taken in evening twilight… just sayin’ 😉 They often look the same (compare our photos 😉 )

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  9. As I read this I could almost hear a melody, a Church hymn – it’s probably the Episcopal priest in me or…
    maybe was the true intention of the writer.
    The image is perfect! I will probably share both and, as always, share their origin.
    Thank you friend.

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  10. Great moment you captured dear David, and this poem, “Oh, the hour of wordless longing;
    I in all, and all in me.”… so beautiful post. Once again I came across with this poet. This is amazing. Thank you, Love, nia

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