I love Jennifer Roberts’ phrase “the formative powers of delay”.
…Patience
comes to the bones
before it takes root in the heart
as another good idea.
— Mary Oliver
Power always sincerely, conscientiously, de tres bon Foi, believes itself Right. Power always thinks it has a great Soul, and vast Views, beyond the Comprehension of the Weak; and that it is doing God Service, when it is violating all his Laws. Our Passions, Ambition, Avarice, Love, Resentment &c possess so much metaphysical Subtilty and so much overpowering Eloquence, that they insinuate themselves into the Understanding and the Conscience and Convert both to their Party.
Photo by Kosti Ruohomaa in his and Lew Dietz’s 1977 essay-photo collection Night Train at Wiscasset Station.
I was recently reminded of Richard Wilbur’s poem “Love Calls Us to the Things of This World,” which reminds me of this photograph — which reminds me of Wilbur’s poem.
At some point I’d love to say more about what is surely one of the best books about Maine there is.
For over a week, whenever I open Richard Wilbur I have been unable or unwilling to turn the page past his poem “The Event.” This is a pleasant and frequent dilemma. 🙂
Delighted with myself and with the birds,
I set them down and give them leave to be.
It is by words and the defeat of words,
Down sudden vistas of the vain attempt,
That for a flying moment one may see
By what cross-purposes the world is dreamt.
Kay Ryan:
We Could All Use More Sabbath Fundamentalism:
The key is to lean into Heschel’s “realm of endless peace.” Shabbat is a taste of a world that could be, a 25-hour glimpse into a healthier, less stressful and more even-keeled existence.… It allows you to let go, to lose sight of the give-and-take of Sunday through Friday, and just breathe, and accept, and enjoy. By mandating a pause, Shabbat enables us to see once again the beauty of creation, to return to the simplicity which God gave us, stripped of human elaboration.
I love that phrase, stripped of human elaboration.
Define laziness impatience haste:
Damn good Bull Moose haul! • Especially when you consider the content that I (frankly, only sort of) know is in here, $50 is a liberal-arts-and-humanities steal.
A father and his grandson
Jonah Goldberg:
When it comes to national politics… it’s all a moveable feast where crap sandwiches are the main dish. No amount of garnish or fancy preparation will change the nature of the meal. And we should have a little grace for those who employ different strategies for how to power through the banquet.