It's the third Thursday of the month so I'd like to welcome you to A Gathering of Poetry.
I've written several times here about how I worry about finding the "perfect" poem to share here. But it seems like the best poem often just presents itself. This month's poem was a present from Juliann, who sent me this one after I wrote about my blanket plan coming unraveled. I think it's wonderful and definitely want to share this one with all of you.
The Work of Happiness
by May Sarton
I thought of happiness, how it is woven
Out of the silence in the empty house each day
And how it is not sudden and it is not given
But is creation itself like the growth of a tree.
No one has seen it happen, but inside the bark
Another circle is growing in the expanding ring.
No one has heard the root go deeper in the dark,
But the tree is lifted by this inward work
And its plumes shine, and its leaves are glittering.
So happiness is woven out of the peace of hours
And strikes its roots deep in the house alone:
The old chest in the corner, cool waxed floors,
White curtains softly and continually blown
As the free air moves quietly about the room;
A shelf of books, a table, and the white-washed wall—
These are the dear familiar gods of home,
And here the work of faith can best be done,
The growing tree is green and musical.
For what is happiness but growth in peace,
The timeless sense of time when furniture
Has stood a life's span in a single place,
And as the air moves, so the old dreams stir
The shining leaves of present happiness?
No one has heard thought or listened to a mind,
But where people have lived in inwardness
The air is charged with blessing and does bless;
Windows look out on mountains and the walls are kind.====
Sarton, May. "The Work of Happiness". Collected Poems 1930-1993.1993: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc..
You can read more about May Sarton here.
And a big thank you to Juliann!
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Thank you for reading and joining us for our monthly Gathering of Poetry. You are more than welcome to add your link below if you would like to share one of your favorite poems. The more the merrier!
Wow -- I need to save this one! Thank you (and thanks, Juliann!) for sharing this wonderful poem!
ReplyDeleteI love May Sarton. What a glorious poem. XO
ReplyDeleteWow, this is just so beautiful Bonny! I am saving this one as well... it is the perfect balm for those days when everything falls apart! Thank you and Juliann for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteI love this poem. I read May Sarton's published journals in my early 20s and this poem reminds me it would be a good time to revisit her work. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Bonny.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful poem! Like Janelle, I read all of May Sarton's journals in my 20's and 30's and it might be good to revisit. I also read a lot of her poetry, but I do not remember this one. Thanks Bonny! And Juliann!
ReplyDeleteThis brought to mind my mother's house that is standing empty. I was just wondering a few days ago if any of the happiness she brought to the broken down old place is still there somehow, in the walls or windows that looked out on her beloved bay.
ReplyDeleteI'd sure like to think so. "The air is charged with blessing and does bless;
DeleteWindows look out on mountains and the walls are kind." (Just substitute "the bay" for "mountains".)
What a lovely poem. I read many of Sarton's journals back in the day but I forget about her poetry. Thank you for reminding me to give her poems another look.
ReplyDeleteoh my, that's lovely Bonny! I'm printing this one for my journal ...
ReplyDelete