The blue jays come to my deck at dawn.
Each morning I draw back the sliding door,
crumble the bread.
Every morning is the same
but the blue jays and I
are all imperceptibly changing,
one day of living closer
to our transformation,
one more day of gratitude
for our long, blessed unfolding
and all of its gifts.
One more day,
before, suddenly,
we're gone.
What has changed me most
in my long life?
My friends,
who had the hard task of teaching me
that there was someone inside me
worthy of love.
They shone the sunshine of their smiles on me
and repeated, until I believed:
leave the heartbreak of yesterday behind.
The time for sorrow has ended.
Come play with us
in the garden of delight.
They taught me:
"The moment of change is the only poem."*
*Adrienne Rich
Ah, my friends, the winds of change are blowing as my two dear friends, Susan and Sumana, soon take leave of Poets United, where we have played so happily these many years. Thank you is not words enough for all you have given, and all you have come to mean to me. Come join me in the garden of delight and we shall continue our poetic journeys, which unfold the pathway we are walking with every new poem.
for the Midweek prompt: Changes
Sherry, as you have so beautifully shared, time is fast fleeing as our days dwindle to a precious few.
ReplyDelete:( i hate change
ReplyDeleteAh what a wonderful place for words to play.
ReplyDeleteHappy Wednesday Sherry. Thanks
for dropping by my blog
Much💞love
" one day of living closer
ReplyDeleteto our transformation,
one more day of gratitude
for our long, blessed unfolding" Sigh.
How wonderful to have friends who see you and birds that also stick around and show you what a beautiful soul you are.
Thank you for your kind words, my dear Sherry. I am not disappearing, so you go right on playing in the garden of delight.
Yes, we are all imperceptibly changing, slowly and daily, but we have to keep feeding those bluebirds while we can - always enjoying things as they are, finding the beauty that is. Yes, playing with us in the garden of delight! Let us play.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful..Blue jays make great noise in their announcements. Change is a companion that never leaves us. Sometimes she is kind. Sometimes she is a pest.
ReplyDeleteChange for the better is fine but too much change is brought about by greed. Humans are their own worst enemies as we enjoy hating and fighting each other which costs money that could be put to better use.
ReplyDeleteI like this poem, and my friends have had a similar role in my life. :)
ReplyDeleteThis change is so uplifting! Your words today remind me of Tagore who considered our worldly experience as our play in the garden of delight sometimes in light, sometimes in darkness. Thank you so much for your wonderful words, dear friend.
ReplyDeleteSo many changes, but the blue jays will keep coming back.
ReplyDeleteSuch beauty and authority in this poem! Friends are indeed one of the factors that most make our lives worthwhile and, yes, delightful before we are gone. (A dear friend of mine told me only the other day that if she had to choose one word to characterise me it would be 'delight'. I think you are another such, Sherry!)
ReplyDeleteSherry,
ReplyDeleteI love your relationship with the blue jays and with nature. You have a very special gift and you share it so kindly:)
I'm so sorry to read that more changes are coming at Poets United, with Susan and Sumana leaving too. I pray that it can remain, a garden of happiness, when friends can still meet:)
This is a most gorgeous poem, Sherry!❤️ I resonate with; " My friends, who had the hard task of teaching me that there was someone inside me worthy of love."❤️
ReplyDeleteBless those teachers, your friends!
ReplyDeleteSuch friends who throw their sunshine into the dark spaces of our minds are treasure indeed!
ReplyDeleteYour work is consistently good and it always comes from the heart.If anyone is worthy of love, it is you. Over years, poems reveal the poet...you are a fine one.
ReplyDelete