I am weeding in the garden trying to resist all the unearned metaphors while the sweet men turn the compost. My daughter asks for rolly pollies with a square metal tin held out towards the writhing dirt and is rewarded handsomely. We each guess at their lifespan—
I happily welcome any form of writing from you. I hope one day there will be a sequel to Learning in Public. I cannot remember whether you have a book project underway now that you have mentioned to us.
Names. It is a flag, of course, to be forgetting the labels for people and things, but when it comes to it, pods of whales know each other, prides of lions, herds of elk... and I would say there is love among them, but they don't attach to each other the label of a name. Whales recognize family across the ocean by a particular commonality in their songs that acts like a last name. For some animals it is a family smell. It's the rest of it, that feeling of belonging to each other, that matters.
What we need is not to know each others names but to feel deeply that we belong to each other, across peoples and across species. and we should be aware and thoughtful about what we need to do to embrace that bond.
stunningly beautiful and melancholy for the moment we must try so hard to inhabit these days...my daily mantra these past months has been, "gentle, gentle..." Thank you.
Hi. I’m thinking about “trying to resist the unearned metaphors” and that is only the beginning of this beautiful lively poem…full of images and ending with connections.
Thanks for your thoughts over time courage and humility.
Lovely and touching poem, which says so much. I think so much of the world can relate. Thanks for being courageous in offering your thoughts in whatever form they may flow.
Preposterously beautiful 💗
I happily welcome any form of writing from you. I hope one day there will be a sequel to Learning in Public. I cannot remember whether you have a book project underway now that you have mentioned to us.
Names. It is a flag, of course, to be forgetting the labels for people and things, but when it comes to it, pods of whales know each other, prides of lions, herds of elk... and I would say there is love among them, but they don't attach to each other the label of a name. Whales recognize family across the ocean by a particular commonality in their songs that acts like a last name. For some animals it is a family smell. It's the rest of it, that feeling of belonging to each other, that matters.
What we need is not to know each others names but to feel deeply that we belong to each other, across peoples and across species. and we should be aware and thoughtful about what we need to do to embrace that bond.
stunningly beautiful and melancholy for the moment we must try so hard to inhabit these days...my daily mantra these past months has been, "gentle, gentle..." Thank you.
"My friend also said it felt like an ocean baptism
and that it was hard not to slip into the sea with the whale.
Her partner held her legs.
My daughters hold mine.
That big sister holds her brother.
We must hold hold hold on.
Be preposterously gentle with ourselves despite all the
forgetting."
Oof. Thank you for this. I needed it today.
beautiful
We all hang on when we need to. Sometimes are harder to see why than others. Pay it forward in small ways. Karma is a real thing.
Hi. I’m thinking about “trying to resist the unearned metaphors” and that is only the beginning of this beautiful lively poem…full of images and ending with connections.
Thanks for your thoughts over time courage and humility.
Inspiring also.
Aw, love this 🖤
Beautiful
I loved listening while I read your words. Stunning.
So much holding on, these days. One arm for the generation ahead, one for the generation behind.
Wonderful! DD
Balm for the soul. Thank you ❤️
Lovely and touching poem, which says so much. I think so much of the world can relate. Thanks for being courageous in offering your thoughts in whatever form they may flow.
Lovely poem and sentiment. Also loved the podcast on caring for loved ones with dementia. Thank you for sharing that episode with the world.
So beautifully deep. Thank you for giving us these gorgeous glimpses and the word preposterously!!