No matter how clear or cloudy our internal skies are – no matter if the masses below are celebrating, or raging from tragedy – no matter if we notice or not, or whether we deserve it at all – for now, day after day, the sun both praises us with light, and casts our deepest shadows.
The poem below, written by Jeanne Lohman, beautifully illustrates the daily miracle of light and shadow, connection and despair. In a society where we are encouraged to be happy all the time, we often feel failure when we can’t measure up. It is important to remember light and darkness are not opposites. In our despair we can find our deepest connections, and in our closest connections, we can feel despair. This is not wrong. It is being alive. As Steve Almond says in his forward in Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed, “Run to the darkness, sweet peas, and shine”.
The Language of Birds
old woman talking to the birds
stops mid-sentence,
puts one finger to her lips
as if to quiet her tongue,
bends her head,
listening
the birds fly closer
but words are all
she has to offer,
a poor bargain at best
and she knows it
bright orange and black
a baltimore oriole
on the porch railing,
tilts his head as if
to enter this conversation,
his liquid language
an exquisite song
to morning
for her part, the old woman
sings for day’s light
coming over the hills like music
praising a difficult world
~ Jeanne Lohmann in Home Ground ~ Poems