love is solid ground

September 23rd, 2010

A preciously dear friend has lately recalled light once seen and fallen drunkenly in love with eyesight. She sends me poems each day like valentines and I cannot resist sharing them. Yes, yes, love sees everything exactly as it is, and walks on it, barefoot.

The Opening of Eyes

That day I saw beneath dark clouds
the passing light over the water
and I heard the voice of the world speak out,
I knew then, as I had before
life is no passing memory of what has been
nor the remaining pages in a great book
waiting to be read.

It is the opening of eyes long closed.
It is the vision of far off things seen for the silence they hold.
It is the heart after years of secret conversing
speaking out loud in the clear air.
It is Moses in the desert
fallen to his knees before the lit bush.
It is the man throwing away his shoes
as if to enter heaven
and finding himself astonished,
opened at last,
fallen in love with solid ground.

– David Whyte

Photo of the Portland Japanese Garden. Come meet me on that ground, Oct. 15-16.

6 Comments »

  1. ah. lovely. and what a tree. . .

    Comment by kate — September 23, 2010 @ 3:30 pm

  2. exquisite!

    Comment by marilee pittman — September 23, 2010 @ 3:42 pm

  3. Just lovely.

    Comment by Stephanie Rayburn — September 23, 2010 @ 4:31 pm

  4. I love the garden. I have their calendar. It is exquisite.

    Comment by suzi — September 24, 2010 @ 1:23 am

  5. Two days ago I found rocks the color of ruby and sunshine – just like the leaves on this tree. They’ve been there where I hike every day for 4 years. I only now saw them.

    I find it interesting how we see when we’re ready the things that have long been before us. Or, at least, this is my experience of the world today.

    Comment by rebecca @ altared spaces — September 24, 2010 @ 3:43 pm

  6. How lovely. Thank you.

    Comment by gail — September 26, 2010 @ 5:44 pm

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