My Heart in the Sky.
This poem, by Philip Britts (described as a British Wendell Berry), landed in my inbox yesterday morning (thanks to Plough Publishing. I do love their daily emails). It’s a beautifully worded reminder to really live this life. not just the lovely and fun parts, but also the messy, ugly and painful parts. grounded. with my heart in the sky.
I hope you enjoy it, too. Happy Tuesday!
Let there be not only the roses,
Not only the buds of the day,
But the noon and the hour that discloses
The full flower torn away:
Not only the bliss and the sweet
When the sun is soft and low,
But the weary aching of feet
Tired out by the harrow and hoe:
Not only the gazing and sighing
Where the heather stands thick on the moor,
But the lonely watch and the crying,
With hunger awake at the door:
Not only the anthems eternal,
Song without hurry or pause,
But the sweat and the stink and the screaming
of circular saws –
Not only the mercy of dreaming,
But the labor and learning of laws:
Not only the wonder of reaping
The fruit that hangs red on the bough,
But the strain and the stagger of creeping
In the brown wake of the plough.
Let this be the way that I go,
And the life that I try,
My feet being firm in the field,
And my heart in the sky.
~Philip Britts, Water at the Roots
7 Comments
Honore´
Lovely poem and thanks for sharing the source, too!
Cheers~
Bonny
This is stunning! Britts is a new-to-me poet, and I will be searching for Water at the Roots to read more. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a poem that expressed “the lonely watch and the crying” right alongside “my heart in the sky” so beautifully. Realistic and hopeful at the same time, this one is now printed and posted by my kitchen sink. Thank you!
Carole
That’s just beautiful and your photo goes perfectly with it.
Kat
Wow. What powerful words! This is also a new to me poet! Thank you for sharing it as well as Plough Publishing!
Vera
WOW! What a powerful, amazing and beautiful piece. Thank you for sharing. Britt’s is new to me as is Plough Publishing (but now I am a subscriber).
Kym
Lovely!
Thank you, Mary.
XO
Margene
My heart in the sky! This is brilliant, Mary! Thank you for introducing me to Philip Britts.