Kristine, I wish I could have read and responded sooner. What a powerful read. I don’t have the vantage point of your side of our first exchange to feel truly the cure you were recovering in poetry last summer. It seemed utterly evident to me that you were already doing the curing with your poetry, in writing and person. I read the two poems dedicated to Wendell, and I recognize that healing touch in your words. I agree with you, somethings only poetry can speak to. And yes, you capture poetry’s essence so well in this essay, especially when you say you first wrote poetry of belief, and then even more after belief. For isn’t the poet essentially a pure believer? One who sees rainbows in the storm, but not because she is disillusioned or even more common disconnected but believes in the promises they hear singing in the thunder?
So far, I think the common denominator of so many of these essays of yours is the strength of belief, which only the poet knows best because it’s a strength of attention, of deep care, a strength of healing, slow, deep, careful, the stuff of angelic power.
I’m going to try my best to catch up on the essays of yours I have missed, and I look forward to more of your poetry and fiction. Peace, friend.
never underestimate the power of a book parallel, especially when critters are involved! ;) i could write an entire essay in reply to this, but i will leave a favourite lyric: "all circles presuppose, they end where they begin." it is endlessly fascinating and frustrating to me how much time can be both a hindrance and a healer. the ability to come around and return to first loves, more fully, after feeling all the creative woe that is hitting the edges of a locked box? it lets us indulge curiosity over fear. if that's what Ecclesiastes gets at, that time as dynamic motion, then yes...'how can we be unmoved?'
Kristine, I wish I could have read and responded sooner. What a powerful read. I don’t have the vantage point of your side of our first exchange to feel truly the cure you were recovering in poetry last summer. It seemed utterly evident to me that you were already doing the curing with your poetry, in writing and person. I read the two poems dedicated to Wendell, and I recognize that healing touch in your words. I agree with you, somethings only poetry can speak to. And yes, you capture poetry’s essence so well in this essay, especially when you say you first wrote poetry of belief, and then even more after belief. For isn’t the poet essentially a pure believer? One who sees rainbows in the storm, but not because she is disillusioned or even more common disconnected but believes in the promises they hear singing in the thunder?
So far, I think the common denominator of so many of these essays of yours is the strength of belief, which only the poet knows best because it’s a strength of attention, of deep care, a strength of healing, slow, deep, careful, the stuff of angelic power.
I’m going to try my best to catch up on the essays of yours I have missed, and I look forward to more of your poetry and fiction. Peace, friend.
As always, this means so much C.I.!
I didn’t realize Wendell was a poet! What a gift his words must be.
What a gift YOUR words are ♥️
Thank you, friend!!
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I love the lessons from The Wind in the Willows as well as the poems about dad. You're awesome!!
Thanks babe <3
never underestimate the power of a book parallel, especially when critters are involved! ;) i could write an entire essay in reply to this, but i will leave a favourite lyric: "all circles presuppose, they end where they begin." it is endlessly fascinating and frustrating to me how much time can be both a hindrance and a healer. the ability to come around and return to first loves, more fully, after feeling all the creative woe that is hitting the edges of a locked box? it lets us indulge curiosity over fear. if that's what Ecclesiastes gets at, that time as dynamic motion, then yes...'how can we be unmoved?'
Off to listen to a little mewithoutYou, now.
Thankful, as always, for your thoughtful responses, civil!