Thursday, September 25, 2008

Glimpse

 

Just as distance changes the perspective of things in the physical world, so does it change the perspective we have on distant events.

It's been a long time since I lived in "the country." By today's standards, it was a rather restricted life. We had no running water, no indoor plumbing, no central heat, no telephone, no car.

Ah, but there are other things I remember about life back then, and I still savor them. Actually, their flavor seems to improve ... like warmed over soup ... each time I bring up those memories.

Perhaps I've overdone it a bit with my talk about "that bit of heaven so far beyond the grasp of cities, and all their suburbs ... " but perhaps not.

The poem:

 

GLIMPSE

Those who have never been

lulled by a country breeze,

savored the scent of hay

lying in the sun, caught

the sweet, wafting hint

of honeysuckle, who have

never heard the raucous call

of a crow gentled, distanced

by the summer air, well,

they've never glimpsed that

bit of heaven so far beyond

the grasp of cities, and all

their suburbs still to come.

© 2000

(originally published in PKA's Advocate)

 

***

Today's word: grasp

Afterthoughts ... in response to your comments:

Thank you, Sue, for your insightful perspective on today's entry. I especially like your stressing the aspect of the learning experience ... as time marches on.

I'm glad you found encouragement in today's poem, Mymaracas. Best wishes on that move to the country. Naturally, there are good reasons for feeling some tension as the time for the move ... and move ... approaches. I think you will find a certain calm, though, which comes with settling in, accepting the embrace of those new sights and sounds ... and, sometimes, simply a wonderful quiet, the peace to be found in watching a sunset.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You can always take the man out of the country, but you can never take the country out of the man.

Time does change one's perspective on distant events.  For some it becomes an obsession to use it an excuse to "not remember".  I choose however to use it as a learning experience, one that should never ever be repeated.  Even if those events are sweet, there's a real reason why time marches forward.  

Thanks again for some lovely chosen words.  Sue

Anonymous said...

Lovely poem, and very encouraging. I'm moving to the country myself over the next few days, and I'm beginning to have anxiety attacks over it. It seemed like such a good idea at the time, but I've never lived outside a suburb before. You make it sound like everything just might work out.