1.21.2008

Rest in Peace, Shirley.

The Peace of Wild Things
--Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.



*For lack of wood drakes and tolerance for the cold, I just sit by the cages of small, sweet, domesticated animals.

4 comments:

ButtonHole said...

Shirley's already gone?? Sorry to hear!

Tania Rochelle said...

It was a very sad morning--especially for Lo.

ButtonHole said...

I imagine. Loving. Letting go. One coin, two sides. Sucks. BAD.

Unknown said...

noooo! i only got to see her once! this is awful news. was shirley the tiny one?

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