I knew Naomi Shihab Nye would have something to say appropriate to these days, and I was right. I just found this poem she published in December.
In Morning
by Naomi Shihab Nye
The Palestinian child
does not think about being Palestinian,
but only of how his kitten
slept last night
and why is it not
in its basket.
Before he walks to school,
he will find it playing
with neighbor kittens
outside his house
and make sure it has breakfast.
You can read the rest of the poem, and hear her read it, here.
I used one of her lines as a strike line (you'll have to click through to see the bit it came from) for this golden shovel:
Reveille
When the new day wakes me, each
worry rises too, greets the morning,
rubbing its eyes and joining the others that crowd around as we
all, the whole battalion of us, put
on our work boots and dress ourselves
and prepare to pretend we’ve got it all together.
Each morning we put ourselves together.
©Ruth Bowen Hersey
15 comments:
Oof, "prepare to pretend we have it all together." I've been doing this pretending for far too long. Retirement is looking good to me. Four years left. Can I do it? Thanks for sharing your moving golden shovel.
She is so good...and your words are truth, Ruth. Sigh.
Ruth, I love your golden shovel poem. I am using it for inspiration to get myself going and act like I have it together today! :)
Terrific, Ruth. Both your poem and its predecessor by Naomi Shihab Nye.
Often, I think it's a must thing to do for those we love, that 'putting ourselves together". I like mysteries and though I haven't read it, I love this title, making my own meaning out of it: "We Are All The Same In The Dark". This is my connection to Nye's words, and asking how can it be that so many suffer when that is so true. Thanks, Ruth, a lovely & thoughtful twosome.
I love your golden shovel. With so many great lines to choose from, I think you picked the perfect one.
Thank you for dropping your url into a comment on my blog. I have such a tough time being able to comment on your blog some weeks...but not others! You are so right...she did have the precise words to describe the feeling we have of pulling ourselves together for another day knowing there is suffering somewhere. I cannot imagine what she is going through as a concerned person, poet, Palestinian.
Both NSN's words and your golden shovel are a one-two-punch of "putting ourselves back together", Ruth. Thanks for sharing both.
Sad, brave, hopeful truth. Thanks for both poems this week, Ruth.
When she first started reading (I love her voice -- had to listen), I thought the poem was titled "In Mourning." It kind of is. But it's also a poem of strength and resilience, just like yours.
The world is so hard to take in. Thank you for your poem.
Such a worthy offering from Naomi, such a worthy source to strike from, such a worthy re-view, reveille, of the message. May we somehow meet the days unarmored yet strong. Thanks, Ruth.
Did I comment? Hope so.
Ruth, as I read that you chose a strike line, I tried to picture which line you would choose. I guessed right. Your poem is a wonderful response with so much wisdom embedded in your words. Lately, I wake to think of others, to pretend, and other times to mourn the loss of fresh air as I sit in my house trying to recuperate from a lingering infection. Thank you for both Naomi's words and yours.
Hello Ruth, I love "In Morning", but I also love your own poem - "Reveille" - and relate! I see that it is copyrighted. I would like to post it on my blog, and was wondering if you would give me permission to do so? I leave this request here, as I don't see any other way to contact you. You can contact me at mysticmeandering@gmail.com. Thank you... Chris
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