Sunday, February 7, 2016

Miracle / Not A Miracle

My daughter Zenny, with her pup Smokey
photo by my son, Jon Merk


There are two ways to live: you can live
as if nothing is a miracle;
you can live as if everything is a miracle.
Albert Einstein


             *****     *****

Rain sluices down the windows, day after day.
Inside, she looks out at the dismal greyness,
and tears roll down her cheeks.
There will never be sunshine.

Trees gratefully lift their branches in relief
as the winter rains sluice down.
They drink deeply, against the 
parching heat of summer drought.
How miraculous is nature's design.


Wolves can be seen at the edge of the meadow.
Quick! grab the gun! Fire shots into the air!
See if you can scare them off!

Wolves can be seen at the edge of the meadow.
Quick! Grab the camera!
See if you can capture their beauty.

The apples are falling all over the grass,
rotting and making a horrible mess.
What a drag, to have to pick them up every fall.
We should cut this tree down.


Apples are falling all over the grass.
Let's leave them, so  deer and bear
will find snacks waiting for them
when they pass by.


She is having a baby and she's just seventeen,
a baby having a baby. What a disaster it will be.

She is having a baby. Though she's just seventeen,
a baby is a miracle and, somehow,
they will find their way.


It is just an ordinary day.
Nothing is happening.
The hours tick by uneventfully.

It is the gift of an ordinary day.
Nothing is happening.
The hours tick by uneventfully.


It is all in the perspective. I plucked this poem, written in 2012, and am posting it for Poets United's  Poetry Pantry, where there is always good reading on a Sunday morning.


34 comments:

  1. This poem is truly inspirational, Sherry, and I loved reading it. I especially like your structure... how it's a sad way of looking at it, and then a refreshing way. Nicely done.

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  2. Sherry, you just put perspective in such beautiful landscape! Thanks for sharing. A joyful read!

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  3. Yes, if the apples fall down, leave them there! The deer and bear will appreciate them. And yes, we do need to appreciate every ordinary day...as most of them ARE ordinary!

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  4. It all depends on how you look at things, doesn't it?

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  5. Oh I love the dichotomy here as we can see just what a tweak of perspective can do to the scene and our thoughts...it is all a miracle!

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  6. Sherry, you are not only talented, you are very positive. We seem to share a love for nature and things wild too.

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  7. I hope we can always look at the positive that way... after all there is always hope I think... (and that's the true miracle).

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  8. Yes, perspective matters, and it comes from openings to grace like that gorgeous photograph.

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  9. I'm so glad you plucked this one Sherry. I love the contrasts you describe. I hope I see miracles in everything. Tha opposite is so sad.

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  10. They drink deeply, against the
    parching heat of summer drought.
    How miraculous is nature's design.

    Such wise and beautiful lines...!!

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  11. So much wisdom in this poem. Loved reading it :)

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  12. You make your home feel so inviting it is overwhelming for me. I've always wondered how it would be to live amongst wolves and nature in the upper North. thanks for this.

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  13. There is a phrase "One man's meat is another man's poison"; how aptly you illustrate this with your poem. Sadly mankind tends to choose the selfish diverse way in appreciating this beautiful world being hell bent on its destruction for profit.

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  14. There are little miracles happening everywhere around us we just need to take a moment to see.
    Grab the camera and captured the beauty is the better choice.

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  15. Ah, how I enjoyed those positive loving thoughts in the words!

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  16. I prefer to live as if everything is a miracle. The awe of life is a mighty high

    Much love...

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  17. I much prefer the childlike awe of the miraculous view. Bright eyes, knowing smiles, and eager attentiveness can and do change the world.

    Elizabeth

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  18. The idea of an "ordinary day" and how we don't appreciate it is so true...great thought Sherry.

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  19. I LOVE this, Sherry. The contrasts in perspectives make it SO very effective. I became a mother at 18 and cannot tell you how many people thought it was disastrous. We found our way. He is now 23, getting his Masters, and I think he is a miracle. So, I LOVE your perspective :-)

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  20. Love how you've woven this piece - the wonderful juxtapositioning of ordinary and miraculous is a lovely cascade of life reflections. Very cool!

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  21. Yes, it's all in the perspective...we do need to grow an inner eye to change everything that our physical eyes see and move a step forward to realize the meaning of life...beautiful Sherry...

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  22. "Trees gratefully lift their branches in relief" ... Very clever, hiding "re-leaf" at the end of the line. We must always cling to the promise of rebirth and renewal.

    I find the whole "babies having babies" issue to be kind of silly. Let's not forget how recently in history children of 12 or 13 were getting married and having babies. But because of "progress," we're all required to have so much education, so as to provide and attain, that we can't even enjoy life. Anyway, I'm all for doing things the way our bodies tell us to do them. It's the whole rest of the world that's off kilter. ;)

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  23. An enlightening quote and inspiring poem - always pays to grab a camera not a gun and a pencil not a sword..although so very hard when we are feeling the rain inside..it takes great courage to think about the sun..a beautiful photograph also

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  24. Sherry,

    I like this poem's many facets. Seeing life in many forms and with the good and bad sides on view. Life would be rather boring, were it said to be perfect!
    Eileen

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  25. This is a poem I needed today. I thank you for it. k.

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  26. WoW! Your great talent really shines in this one.
    ZQ

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  27. Every day is filled with little miracles we hardly ever notice. Lovely poem. :)

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  28. Sherry, I love the flow of the poem, as I read it. Given my negative past experiences, I'm a half empty person, but it doesn't mean, I can appreciated beautiful poetry, when I read it.

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  29. Sherry, I am so happy to read your wondrous gift and grateful for seeing the miracles~ I know you see glorious gifts every day! I have missed you and your poems. Thank you, for sharing this one again~

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  30. So it is, I specially love this: It is the gift of an ordinary day.

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  31. This is a moving piece, Sherry...the way you deliver each perspective is so effective...eye opening. Well done!

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