BY JANE HIRSHFIELD
Today when persimmons ripen
Today when fox-kits come out of their den into snow
Today when the spotted egg releases its wren song
Today when the maple sets down its red leaves
Today when windows keep their promise to open
Today when fire keeps its promise to warm
Today when someone you love has died
or someone you never met has died
Today when someone you love has been born
or someone you will not meet has been born
Today when rain leaps to the waiting of roots in their dryness
Today when starlight bends to the roofs of the hungry and tired
Today when someone sits long inside his last sorrow
Today when someone steps into the heat of her first embrace
Today, let this light bless you
With these friends let it bless you
With snow-scent and lavender bless you
Let the vow of this day keep itself wildly and wholly
Spoken and silent, surprise you inside your ears
Sleeping and waking, unfold itself inside your eyes
Let its fierceness and tenderness hold you
Let its vastness be undisguised in all your days
I painted this live at a wedding reception but didn’t think I would use it as one of my paintings this month. In fact, I was a little bit smug about it. My self talk was all: damn, girl, you don’t even need to use your live paintings in your 30 in 30! You’re that good. (That’s really how I talk to myself on my rare bouts of optimism.)
Well, I’m not. I’ve got about three failed paintings I’m trying to save but just can’t quite seem to. I discovered the poem above a few weeks ago and it really moved me. I’m thinking of attaching it to the back of all the paintings I do for weddings.
It’s silly, but I feel guilty for using this painting (why!? This is my own challenge. There are no rules!) as one of my 30, I keep thinking about Mary Oliver’s poem from a few days ago. It’s helping. (You don’t have to be good…my place in the family of things…you get the gist).
January 23, 2016
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