Just found this sunlight poem on Last American Childhood. It’s reminding me to listen and remember.
THE WORD
Down near the bottom
of the crossed-out list
of things you have to do today,
between “green thread”
and “broccoli,” you find
that you have penciled “sunlight.”
Resting on the page, the word
is beautiful. It touches you
as if you had a friend
and sunlight were a present
he had sent from someplace distant
as this morning—to cheer you up,
and to remind you that,
among your duties, pleasure
is a thing
that also needs accomplishing.
Do you remember?
that time and light are kinds
of love, and love
is no less practical
than a coffee grinder
or a safe spare tire?
Tomorrow you may be utterly
without a clue,
but today you get a telegram
from the heart in exile,
proclaiming that the kingdom
still exists,
the king and queen alive,
still speaking to their children,
—to any one among them
who can find the time
to sit out in the sun and listen.
–Tony Hoagland
Gladsome Lights 
Just lovely. There are so many nice thoughts there.
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My hubby asked me last night if I had any plans for my Sunday, to which I answered, “Yes, sit out in the sun.” This speaks to me. Thank you, Gretchen Joanna.
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This caught my heart: “and love
is no less practical
than a coffee grinder.” So true, but we (perhaps esp. in the U.S.) forget this nearly all the time. We starve for lack of love, of sunlight, of beauty, of peace.
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A keeper, my friend. Just ran across a quote from Gandhi this morning while writing: “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”
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That is a beautiful poem…perfect for a winter's day here in Southern California but rather less so in the summertime! Sitting out in the dappled shade, however, will do just as well…there is still sunshine but it is not burning our skins.
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That is a lovely poem. I need to make sure that pleasure and love stay on my to-do list. Congratulations on grandbaby 11!
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Such a lovely reminder, thanks so much,
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