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Enough of the lamentations.
Open the window and sing!
The world is awash with
world: color-dripping globe always
tilting into some Ah! or another,
clouds stretching wide plump happiness,
even in the noisy stage-show of showers,
such sunny ovations.
And the birds—
overpopulating every poem—
swoop here for free—
swallow, hawk, robin, gull, eagle—what else
can be written but wings that wave
horizon to horizon?
And enough of windows.
Praise doors! Step out
with arms open, and eyes gathering
vim and vision: grandeur
trailing from worm and woodchuck,
branch puzzles of woods, open boat of breeze—
all brimming with Hey!
and Hallelujah!
and Celebrate! such green giving
of thanks, such miraculous mercy of earth:
calm valley and even this rugged, rocky chain
we climb now as family, claiming praise as respite,
holding close each breaking day, dangerous
yet divine in all
its gorgeous glory.
Photograph by Ray Hennessy
Contributed By
Marjorie Maddox
Marjorie Maddox
Marjorie Maddox is Professor of English and Creative Writing at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, and has published eleven collections of poetry, a short story collection, and over 500 stories, essays, and poems in journals and anthologies. For more information on Marjorie's work, see marjoriemaddox.com.
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Marjorie
Nicholas, Hopkins is one of my heroes, so a grand complement, indeed.
Nicholas Keller
Sensuous and bracing and thoughtful and pretty poem that reminds me of GM Hopkins.