Waking up to the news isn’t what gets to so many of us. At a certain point in our lives we expect the tragic, be it international, national, or local. We brace ourselves and more often than not the irony is that heartbreaking news brings out the best in us. We care, usually helplessly, but we care.
However, sneaking up on 2 1/2 years now, we wake up and steel ourselves. So often it’s 45’s words of vengeance or another lie added to his more than 9,500 lies that we hear. Many of us were misled by “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Sigh. Bones can heal. Words can stick, can infect, and the consequences from these words will in all likelihood never heal.
So what does one do? When our daughter was little we, with gritted teeth, taught her that troubles and sorrows are constants. But that joy is also. That even though you are hurt, sad, troubled, never abandon the joy within.
Right now I am listening to Yo Yo Ma. I refuse to abandon Yo Yo Ma. My wife is knitting a blanket for a former student’s newborn. I refuse to abandon my smile. I filled the feeder. I refuse to abandon my delight at the birds’ visits. And when the smart-ass cynic tries to lure me with “And what good did this do?” I will say, “It did no good. It created good. That’s all I have.”
And then this afternoon we will be with friends. We will refuse to abandon friends to the lure of CNN. These are not escapes. These are who we are. These are what we do. These are the good we can create. These joys are lying in wait, within.
Solstice After All These Years
The work days go unnoticed.
It’s always a truck load;
it’s always maybe, or
another hour. Last night
we watched as the possum
crossed the back yard padding
its small path back into
the ineffable chaos
of wood and molder.
This morning there will be
a cup of coffee. There
will be the fierce pull
of the news’ hypnosis.
We will try not to remember.
We will tug ourselves to the novel
we roamed with into the anonymity
of sleep. We will be religious
without faith or doubt.
The trees will be our amen.
The cedar waxwing at the feeder
will take our place at communion,
redeeming seed into flight and song.
Tonight within the moon’s generosity
we will gather the vestments for tomorrow.
–Jack Ridl
First published in Saint Peter and the Goldfinch
Tony Eames from nfreads.com published this interview. His goal with his newsletter is to “learn something new every week.” Wonderful.
Now is the time to order Kathleen Markland’s new book, A Pen, A Brush, A Book, is out and orderable right here. We have been celebrating this homecoming all week, and would like to boast that some of the work in the book was penned and painted right under our own noses. We have bragging rights on this one.
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Visit Reader’s World or Hope-Geneva Bookstore in Holland, The Bookman in Grand Haven, and The Book Nook & Java Shop in Montague to find Jack’s books in West Michigan.
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Click here for Jack’s entire collection, In Time — poems for the current administration.
What good company this morning–the truck, the possum, the cup of coffee. My copy of Saint Peter arrived on my door step on Monday (the last day of Spring Break) and sits on my bed stand. May your blue skies only give way to the needed rain for the gardens.
Meg, this from you is a lyric, a lovingly tough and kind lyric.
My thanks grow in the garden.
XXX
And I seek for joy to hold off depression, to keep from feeling also. and then I think of the senators and representatives who refuse to listen to the phone calls, or emails, ignore marches, and have turned their hearts against us to gain money from the businesses. And then I think of that poem, the one about the man who did nothing for the other people and then they came for him but there was no one left to help. And I seek for joy because I don’t know what else to do.
AND…watching heirloom tomato seedlings burst through the decadent dirt! ð ðð»
Yes and yes and YES!!!! Heirlooms of all kinds love decadent dirt!
XXX
Jack,
Thanks for giving me a jolt of hope.
Tom
And when you two get up here, we’ll have lots of jolts, some to sip !!!!
XXX
Thanks for sharing these words, much needed by many, particularly me. Looking for tranquility I spent quality time up the Mountain here in Tucson, eating lumberjack food & drinking scotch. Singing songs with people I still do not know & dancing with my wife. Not many of us at the small mountain cafe….but we became an army that demanded smiles & laughter from all. Helped me to rennet life is indeed good.
Sent from my iPhone
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Man, does that ever sound like the best of antidotes. I can see it and am
almost there. And there is something sooooo lovely about that phrase
“dancing with my wife.” And it’s always a metaphor, especially for
those of us who are the long married, long and lovingly married.
XXX to both and each of you!
Jack, I have been listening to Yo-Yo Ma’s album, Six Evolutions, since experiencing Trump-induced high blood pressure. It soothes the soul. I also came upon Catherine Russell’s album, Harlem on my Mind. She has an amazing voice! Thanks for your weekly musings. Poetry and music. So grateful.❤️
Thank YOU for sending me your gratitude. It sure keeps me at it. I had
hoped I’d not be still doing this. It’s responses that assure me that
it’s worth it that bring me back to the project. I so appreciate
your assuring me.
XXX
♥️♥️♥️♥️
Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S7.
and back to you always, Kathleen! Oh does Julie love being with
the book club, being with you!!!
XXX
Amen, Jack!
My recent, sparkling joy came in the form of having the opportunity to attend Hamilton again last Friday evening in Chicago with my 9 yo granddaughter, Sophie, in tow!! Need I say more? I can live off something this joyful for an endlessness period of time. I’m one blessed Yaya! XO
PS Soph knows most of the Lyrics by heart! We studied them together all last summer. Is life awesome or what?!
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How beautiful and how astonishing that Soph knows most of the lyrics.
Of course she does; she has a magical gramma!!
XXX
I awoke to a glorious view of the sunrise as the first beautiful rays struck the earth this morning. It lasted only about 10 minutes; and, then I tuned in to CNN…a stupid move.
STOP THAT!!!!!
XXX
Just arrived at the Azores. Then in to Ireland. Then Iceland. So good to read this email. Yes. We keep doing those things that bring us joy…and bring joy to others. And we speak when the void is like a volcanic canyon. Respectfully. Perhaps that is the difference. Mary
Sent from my iPhone
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It’s a joy in this time to know you two are having a wonder-filled adventure.
Say hello to Julie’s and my Ireland!
XXX
it is like we are waiting for a super hero to come and save us, but the superhero never comes and one day you realize that it is up to us, you, me, I to save the world and you only have one chance – so now we wait for election day
Yep.
And that’s another answer to the question.