Vanity is absence.
– Wendell Berry (“Praise”)
Within the unfolding
Be here!
among waves of leaves
shed like rain
for a moment
of poetry—
somewhere other than
distant histories
and posed reflections.
Be here!
to witness miracles
while the mundane dance
within the grace
of animated metaphors
in the half-light
of dusk and dawn.
Be here!
on our knees
bringing life
with gentle breath
to dry twigs
upon dying coals—
to shadows melting
around our fire.
drycrikjournal 
Most Excellent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Strange little poem, so glad you like it, Peter.
LikeLike
WoW!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Likewise, Tim, so happy it struck a chord.
LikeLike
It’s good the sky is on fire and not the forest. Enough of that this year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Living in the moment is so important. Thanks for the reminder, John, and have a lovely Saturday
janet
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLike
The repeating exhortation “Be here!” feels so happy. I love the placement all by itself because it jumps out at me, urgently, demanding, insistent. What a treat of a poem and it goes so perfectly with the photo and the fleeting nature of sunrise and sunset and life, too like “shadows melting around our fire.”
Still puzzling over the “Vanity is absence” quote.
LikeLike
I think Berry’s saying that when we’re being vain, we’re not here in the moment, but elsewhere.
Here’s Wendell Berry’s poem PRAISE
1.
Don’t think about it.
Vanity is absence.
Be here. Here
is the root and stem
unappraisable
on whose life
your life depends.
2.
Be here
like the water
of the hill
that fills each
opening it
comes to, to leave
with a sound
that is part
of local speech.
LikeLike
Ah. Yes, that makes sense in the context of the poem and I see now how yours evolved from this one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Truly we miss it all, the rain of leaves and twigs and everything else if we are not present. Beautiful poem, John.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Angeline. A little rain your way?
LikeLike
Yes!! And more tomorrow. Happiness!
LikeLiked by 1 person