Thursday, November 10, 2016

"Rhapsody" for November

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Jama's Alphabet Soup for Roundup, where she is offering up HOPE, which is pretty essential, isn't it? Thank you,  Jama. What an emotional week this has been... and I've had the stomach flu. Feeling MUCH better now, thank you very much! Nothing like a few sick days to make one extra grateful for those good-health days. Wow.

So I have a lovely little poem for you, and some sheep. Yep. Read on!

Rhapsody

I am glad daylong for the gift of song,
For time and change and sorrow;
For the sunset wings and the world-end things
Which hang on the edge of tomorrow.
I am glad for my heart whose gates apart
Are the entrance-place of wonders,
Where dreams come in from the rush and din
Like sheep from the rains and thunders.

-William Stanley Braithwaite

Speaking of sheep, have you read THE SHEPHERD'S LIFE: Modern Dispatches from an Ancient Landscape by James Rebanks? I loved learning about these sheep families and the whole world of Beatrix Potter. (And now I totally want to watch again MISS POTTER.) It's a hard life, methinks, with so much out of one's control. But it's also obviously rewarding. I particularly enjoyed the lessons of such a life:

"We don't give up, even when things go bad.
We pay our debts.
We work hard.
We act decently.
We help our neighbors if they need it.
We do what we say we will do.
We don't want much attention.
We look after our own.
We are proud of what we do.
We try to be quietly smart.
We take chances sometimes to get on.
We will fail sometimes.We will be affected by the wider world...
But we hold on to who we are."

Here's to holding on to who we are in the midst of wider world events! 

And finally, here again is my NCTE schedule -- even though there's glaring typo AND we've added Laura Purdie Salas to the Nonfiction Roundtable! Even better, right?? I know I will be seeing a number of you... very excited!






24 comments:

  1. This advice reminds me of the one from Mother Theresa, "Do it anyway." http://prayerfoundation.org/mother_teresa_do_it_anyway.htm
    Can't wait to work with you on the Poetry Panel at NCTE. What an awesome group!

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  2. I've added Miss Potter to my queue. I meant to see it when it was in theaters, but life intervened. Thanks for the reminder. Love Rhapsody. Love it.

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  3. Love Rhapsody. I must confess to not having watched Miss Potter, but it's on my (very long) list of movies to catch up on.

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  4. Be well and have fun at NCTE. I recently rewatched Miss Potter. A weeper for sure, but so good.

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  5. What a wonderful list of life lessons! Thanks for sharing Rhapsody and enjoy your time at NCTE. After reading about your two events, I'm scheming about how to get there next year!

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  6. Oh, I LOVE this!

    For the sunset wings and the world-end things
    Which hang on the edge of tomorrow.

    Yes.

    And I have a sheep-related book coming out...someday. Whee! SO all sorts of connections for me, personally, as well as just that hope and gratitude. Thanks for sharing this today.

    See you SOON!

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  7. Love Rhapsody! The heart can still sing despite sadness and hardship (and we SO needed this reminder). I love the Miss Potter film and will have to add The Shepherd's Life to my TBR list!

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  8. Irene, the world has gone through quite an upheaval this week. I am banking on hope to carry us through. Jama certainly inspires us toward that end this week. As for your post, it is most inspiring as well. Being grateful is important. Your first line and this one gave me pause as I ready myself for the day: "We will be affected by the wider world...But we hold on to who we are." I look forward to meeting up with you at NCTE. I attended a nonfiction workshop at #nErDCamplLI with Sarah and Melissa last week. It was great.

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  9. Thank you for sharing so much that is good, Irene. The book is new to me and I will certainly find and read it. It sounds wonderful. Have a joy-filled time at NCTE, presenting with that terrific group and all the rest!

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  10. Glad your feeling better, Irene, with NCTE coming up and all. You'll need your strength! Thank you for the Rhapsody pick-me-up and life lessons. I'm holding on.... xo

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  11. My goodness you've had some challenging weeks! Glad you will be better and strong for NCTE. I won't be there -- I'm not an English Teacher. But, we need your brand of positive thinking for all our teachers right now. Teaching is a tough job in so many ways and getting to attend a conference is like a balm for those in the trenches. Thank you for being part of the light and love our wonderful teachers will be soaking in. I look forward to reading your impressions of NCTE. Godspeed.

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  12. I listened to a Redbanks interview wen the book first came out and always meant to look for it in the library. Thanks for reminding me, Irene.

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  13. There is absolutely nothing like a bout of illness to remind us how precious the gift of health is - it's so easy to take our wellness for granted!

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  14. I've not seen Miss Potter...but now I plan to. Have fun at NCTE!

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  15. Glad you are feeling better, Irene! Needed to read Rhapsody today...thank you! =)

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  16. Oh Irene! I love the lessons. So, so important. This is what we do. Can't wait for your NCTE sessions!

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  17. Thank you for your kind words and positive thoughts, hope is beautiful.

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  18. Thank you, Irene, for these beautiful and wise words. I'm sad I won't be seeing you at NCTE, but look forward to reading about your sessions. They sound incredible!

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  19. On Wednesday I wore a little collage of pins which you can go see on my Facebook if you care to--you helped me exhort people to live their tiedye poem and be mighty because their lives matter.

    That "Rhapsody" poem is like a little flame in the rain and thunder. Thank you, and see you next week!

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  20. You're such a treat, Irene. I knew I'd feel better after coming here. I especially like your list of resolves ("We try to be quietly smart" - yes.) Congratulations and much fun at NCTE and stay well!

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  21. What a perfect pairing of poem and book. Wise words you quote. A good checklist to live by, sheep or no sheep.

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  22. Yes, sheep. They are small miracles. I've been knitting a lot to soothe my spirit, so ... thank you, sheep!

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  23. Our book club read A Shepherd's Live earlier this year and I didn't finish it. This post has reminded me to request it again from the library. It was a gentle, affirming read - something we can all use right now. I copied the lessons of life from the book, they are very similar to the lessons my own father taught me. Just copied Rhapsody into my WN!

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