The Peace of Wendell Berry*
I like to think Wendell Berry saw me coming
when he wrote about the wood drake,
thought of me all those years before my birth
as he penned to life the great heron, feeding, continuing
in anticipation of the day that I would wake thinking
of my own life and my children’s lives, in anticipation
of the day I could water gardens with tears,
every breath a prayer
——-
*with thanks to The Peace of Wild Things and Wendell Berry
10 thoughts on "The Peace of Wendell Berry*"
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This is so lovely, Arwen. Those last three lines have my heart in their hands.
Thanks so much Bill, I didn’t have anything but the last line when I started, then I started looking out the window and almost drowned crying, just out of the blue. It felt good to release it
This poem is gorgeous. Those last few lines are especially powerful.
Thanks for this, Arwen. Wendell Berry would love it.
How wonderful to be inspired by Wendell Berry!
Beautiful from beginning to end.
Love: “every breath a prayer”
Yes !!! Yes so yesingly yes.
We do have heroes ❤️
Beautiful tribute to the way the writers with us in life bring guide lines and safety ropes.
This poem is beautiful.
Great tribute to one of my favorite poems! Poems/words become part of our DNA.
A sensitive, emotional love song.
I love the tone and depth of this piece. Its movement is so natural and whole.