Sunday, January 9, 2022

Today's poem by Susan Moorhead

Back in 2016, I posted two poems by Susan Moorhead, a woman I "met" via blogging. She no longer writes her blog but it is still up so you may visit here. I have remained in touch with her via instagram. This poem is from her 2021 book.



                                                                      Common Wonders

In a dark time, when I became lost, the feelings
for everyone I had loved and for everything that once
held meaning left. Light of any kind was missing
down at the bottom amid the skeleton fish and nameless
things. I stayed lost until some lift of grace willed me 
back. When I returned, it was the smallest of things

that held my hand. The play of colors in a quilt, flavor
of a neighbor's offering of soup and bread. Green outside
the windows. The first thrashing thunderstorm, lightning
brash in the sky. The quilt wrapped around me. I felt
the rhythm of the hours, clockwork steady, as I stumbled

back from grief where time does not exist. People want
to find a lesson in everything, but what is the takeaway
of sorrow? I could say it was the resilience of my heart,
the will to rise that carried me, but no. It was the small
wonders revealed, moment after moment. Every bird flying,

each slowly whirling cloud, the scatters of light spilling
through tree branches, the hush in the yard as evening fell.
Noticing these small graces allowed the terrible rift in me
to mend. One evening, reading to my child, I heard tenderness
in my voice replace the rote dutiful tone that grief had
assigned me. I felt the ache of love return, common, wonderful.

13 comments:

  1. That is a very touching poem, Nan. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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  2. This poem really hit home for me. Thank you so much for introducing me to this poem and poet.

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  3. That was such a lovely poem! Thanks for sharing it with us. Love your header picture of your stove. :-)

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  4. I used to read her blog, too, but had lost her, so I'm happy I stopped by here on this day, for this poem. Thank you!

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  5. Oh, this poem almost made me weep. The poet truly knows the deep emotions of grief, doesn't she? Thank you, Nan.

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  6. Oh, Nan, I just realized you had posted this - as usual a few steps out of sync! I am honored by your sharing this and touched by the lovely comments. The blogis no more but I am on Instagram under Susan Incognito (the name amuses me too much to change so far) . Thank you for your post. -Susan

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    1. I did follow you on igram, but I got off a few weeks ago. Blogging is my only social media these days, and I am finding my way back into it. It wasn't only igram that took away the time, but it was part of it, and I am very happy and quieter without it.

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