What Came to Me- Jane Kenyon

I took the last dusty piece of china out of the barrel. It was your gravy boat, with a hard, brown drop of gravy still on the porcelain lip. I grieved for you then as I never had before.

The Shirt

by Jane Kenyon

The shirt touches his neck
and smooths over his back.
It slides down his sides.
It even goes down below his belt—
down into his pants.
Lucky shirt.

The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs

I am getting a massage today, and I really could use one. Things are getting easier, and harder at the same time. Work is pretty overwhelming, but it's hard to care too much. Other things are out of my control, but I spend way too much time fretting about them. Plus, I am spending way too much money lately, but I got the cutest shoes! I am going to get a korean body scrub and moisture thingie this weekend!

Let Evening Come by Jane Kenyon

Let the light of late afternoon
shine through chinks in the barn, moving
up the bales as the sun moves down.

Let the cricket take up chafing
as a woman takes up her needles
and her yarn. Let evening come.

Let dew collect on the hoe abandoned
in long grass. Let the stars appear
and the moon disclose her silver horn.

Let the fox go back to its sandy den.
Let the wind die down. Let the shed
go black inside. Let evening come.

To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop
in the oats, to air in the lung
let evening come.

Let it come, as it will, and don't
be afraid. God does not leave us
comfortless, so let evening come.

"The Art of Disappearing" by Naomi Shihab Nye from Words Under the Words: Selected Poems.

The Art of Disappearing

When they say Don't I know you?
say no.

When they invite you to the party
remember what parties are like
before answering.
Someone telling you in a loud voice
they once wrote a poem.
Greasy sausage balls on a paper plate.
Then reply.

If they say We should get together
say why?

It's not that you don't love them anymore.
You're trying to remember something
too important to forget.
Trees. The monastery bell at twilight.
Tell them you have a new project.
It will never be finished.

When someone recognizes you in a grocery store
nod briefly and become a cabbage.
When someone you haven't seen in ten years
appears at the door,
don't start singing him all your new songs.
You will never catch up.

Walk around feeling like a leaf.
Know you could tumble any second.
Then decide what to do with your time.

today

I'm back at work. Physically, that is. My mind is having a harder time. Everyone seems so much more focused than I am. I guess that's not a surprise. I was really looking forward to getting back into the swing, but it's a little more difficult than I thought it would be be.

mama

She's gone. I don't know what to do.