Yesterday while Studly Doright played golf I went into Tallahassee to shop at St. John’s Episcopal Church’s annual market day. I’d never been before, and I was excited to see what they offered.
There were baked goods and jewelry, kitchen wares and knick knacks.
And a great many books!
As soon as I entered the book room I saw this little paperback.
I love Billy Collins’s poetry, so I grabbed this treasure. It was the only purchase I made.
One of the poems had been bookmarked. I’m always interested to see what another reader liked so much that they wanted to mark the spot, to come back to at another time for a second or third or fiftieth reading. Maybe they wanted to share it with a friend.
Directions
You know the brick path in back of the house,
the one you see from the kitchen window,
the one that bends around the far end of the garden
where all the yellow primroses are?
And you know how if you leave the path
and walk up into the woods you come
to a heap of rocks, probably pushed
down during the horrors of the Ice Age,
and a grove of tall hemlocks, dark green now
against the light-brown fallen leaves?
And farther on, you know
the small footbridge with the broken railing
and if you go beyond that you arrive
at the bottom of that sheep’s head hill?
Well, if you start climbing, and you
might have to grab hold of a sapling
when the going gets steep,
you will eventually come to a long stone
ridge with a border of pine trees
which is as high as you can go
and a good enough place to stop.
The best time is late afternoon
when the sun strobes through
the columns of trees as you are hiking up,
and when you find an agreeable rock
to sit on, you will be able to see
the light pouring down into the woods
and breaking into the shapes and tones
of things and you will hear nothing
but a sprig of birdsong or the leafy
falling of a cone or nut through the trees,
and if this is your day you might even
spot a hare or feel the wing-beats of geese
driving overhead toward some destination.
But it is hard to speak of these things
how the voices of light enter the body
and begin to recite their stories
how the earth holds us painfully against
its breast made of humus and brambles
how we who will soon be gone regard
the entities that continue to return
greener than ever, spring water flowing
through a meadow and the shadows of clouds
passing over the hills and the ground
where we stand in the tremble of thought
taking the vast outside into ourselves.
Still, let me know before you set out.
Come knock on my door
and I will walk with you as far as the garden
with one hand on your shoulder.
I will even watch after you and not turn back
to the house until you disappear
into the crowd of maple and ash,
heading up toward the hill,
piercing the ground with your stick
– Billy Collins
Certainly a beautiful poem and worth a bookmark.
I love that they supply shopping baskets! Seems very organized. I assume this event has been going on for some years.
The poem is lovely as well.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It was a lovely event. I bid on several silent auction items, but I guess I didn’t win one. 😢
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks nicely done. Good find indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike
I enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
how fabulous, love these markets, even if it is just for a wander through
LikeLiked by 1 person
I could’ve gone to several this weekend! Not enough time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There never is 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
True!
LikeLike
You got me in your pics! Lol. Good to see you as always.
Sent from my iPhone
>
LikeLiked by 1 person
I saw that! It’s a good photo!
LikeLike
You did very well.. Given that poem you did very well indeed. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Billy was poet laureate for a time. His poems make me happy.
LikeLike
I can see why xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
A spectacular find and a lovely walk described to perfection.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike
A really good poem and excellent shots of the room
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Taking pictures was an after thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
The link didn’t work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
the link is an embedded Billy Collins animated poem via YouTube.. I just went to your post, checked, and I can see and play it… anyway, it’s no big deal
LikeLiked by 1 person
You know, I was trying link from email.
LikeLike
I could watch it once I logged in. Doh! Thanks.
LikeLike