Goosebumps! Makes me think of Mahmoud Darwish saying and “It is the goal of my life to write poems that are claimed by children.”
Your poems are songs David. Sung by poets. Read out loud and stained in the hearts of all. You left it better than you found it. Few can say as much. Drink from that well slowly 🙏❤️
Well said Jamie! David certainly will leave the world better than he found it. And a tangible legacy too, which is again the creative gift of the artist. Who does not want to leave a trace of their passing? Vanity or not!!
I have to start with the photo.......David's hand loosely holding a walking stick, fingers as if sculpted out of stone, a faceless figure behind the hand, almost Biblical in its atmosphere. I love it. And the poem is equally simple and direct. The first three verses foresee the day that all that a man is and has achieved will come to an end. Verse four recognises this moment as death which will be silently accepted. And verse five describes a personal viewpoint on what death may hold, according to one's faith, flowing on into the two lines "...and drink together again from the deep well of things as they are." Impossible to define that deep well of things, but David has neatly covered the story by calling it "things as they are". The subjective reality of life gives way to the objective reality of "things as they are". Leaving space for us all to include our "things" as all good poems do. Simple yet inclusive. And part of a valuable poetic legacy I enjoy sharing. Did I mention that I love the photo?!
Helllo David - I am currently sending a small book of hand written poems to a friend who has a terminal illness - sudden - cruel - but offering so many of us the opportunity to be active in our love and recognition of this brilliant woman - I will be adding this to the collection - I hope with your blessing. Poetry is almost the only language when life is at its most present and urgently so.
I am also working on a project here in Australia transcribing poems into Braille - a language that is disappearing due to lack of funding and institutional laziness. Poetry is the least transcribed of all literature and there are NO transcriptions of contemporary work, so I would also like to ask your permission to make a small book of 6 of your poems for this project.
Each book is hand brailled and print typed then hand sewn and bound in Japanese traditional binding techniques - they will be part of public project at the State Library here in Melbourne and then enter the State Collection as the only books of poetry in Braille. I would love people to have access to your words in the silence of their own reading - of course the blind community can listen to podcasts, audio books etc - but imagine that being the only way to recieve poetry - to never be able to read them for yourself, at your own pace, in your own voice in your own quietude and internal life...this is what the project is hoping to bring awareness to - I can send you links and keep you updated if you would like - for now, if you can take a moment to respond and let me know if you give your consent for your work to be included (alongside Mary Oliver, Australian poet Dorothy Porter ++)
Thank you for your continuing work to bring us all to a place where we can receive life in all of its complexity and beauty with grace and companionship.
Goosebumps! Makes me think of Mahmoud Darwish saying and “It is the goal of my life to write poems that are claimed by children.”
Your poems are songs David. Sung by poets. Read out loud and stained in the hearts of all. You left it better than you found it. Few can say as much. Drink from that well slowly 🙏❤️
Well said Jamie! David certainly will leave the world better than he found it. And a tangible legacy too, which is again the creative gift of the artist. Who does not want to leave a trace of their passing? Vanity or not!!
So true Dawn. To leave it behind in the essence of hearts not just etched in stone.
I have to start with the photo.......David's hand loosely holding a walking stick, fingers as if sculpted out of stone, a faceless figure behind the hand, almost Biblical in its atmosphere. I love it. And the poem is equally simple and direct. The first three verses foresee the day that all that a man is and has achieved will come to an end. Verse four recognises this moment as death which will be silently accepted. And verse five describes a personal viewpoint on what death may hold, according to one's faith, flowing on into the two lines "...and drink together again from the deep well of things as they are." Impossible to define that deep well of things, but David has neatly covered the story by calling it "things as they are". The subjective reality of life gives way to the objective reality of "things as they are". Leaving space for us all to include our "things" as all good poems do. Simple yet inclusive. And part of a valuable poetic legacy I enjoy sharing. Did I mention that I love the photo?!
Helllo David - I am currently sending a small book of hand written poems to a friend who has a terminal illness - sudden - cruel - but offering so many of us the opportunity to be active in our love and recognition of this brilliant woman - I will be adding this to the collection - I hope with your blessing. Poetry is almost the only language when life is at its most present and urgently so.
I am also working on a project here in Australia transcribing poems into Braille - a language that is disappearing due to lack of funding and institutional laziness. Poetry is the least transcribed of all literature and there are NO transcriptions of contemporary work, so I would also like to ask your permission to make a small book of 6 of your poems for this project.
Each book is hand brailled and print typed then hand sewn and bound in Japanese traditional binding techniques - they will be part of public project at the State Library here in Melbourne and then enter the State Collection as the only books of poetry in Braille. I would love people to have access to your words in the silence of their own reading - of course the blind community can listen to podcasts, audio books etc - but imagine that being the only way to recieve poetry - to never be able to read them for yourself, at your own pace, in your own voice in your own quietude and internal life...this is what the project is hoping to bring awareness to - I can send you links and keep you updated if you would like - for now, if you can take a moment to respond and let me know if you give your consent for your work to be included (alongside Mary Oliver, Australian poet Dorothy Porter ++)
Thank you for your continuing work to bring us all to a place where we can receive life in all of its complexity and beauty with grace and companionship.
Very best - Leisa
So succinct and beautiful. Simplicity at its finest. 💚💚
The feeling of love for John O’ Donohue is so strong I can see him greeting on that dusty road already ready for that drink. 🙏