Here are a couple of photos from my recent walks around Portland, Oregon.
The first was taken on a misty day in Forest Park.
This second photo of hellebore was taken during a walk near my home.
© penciledpage.com
This second photo of hellebore was taken during a walk near my home.
© penciledpage.com
The Wilderness by Sandra Lim is a volume of poems that was published in 2014. It was the winner of the Barnard Women Poets Prize in 2013. Lim’s voice is unique and beautiful, and her writing is thoughtful and engaging. I enjoyed puzzling over the meanings of many of her poems.
Here are a few of my favorite lines from The Wilderness:
In "Amor Fati" Lim writes, "Inside every world there is another world trying to get out, and there is something in you that would like to discount this world."
I found the following lines in "The Vanishing World" to be particularly meaningful and beautiful: "When I come to the right place, I believe I'll paint a door on it and walk right through."
Her poem "Certainty" had a profound sentiment on poetry: "A poem may hold the unwieldy pieces of the earth together with a whole heart; a poem may cut that heart to lace."
Purchase and read books by Sandra Lim:
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Felicity by Mary Oliver is a volume of poetry published in 2015 focusing on life’s journey, nature, love, and relationships. This was my first experience reading Oliver’s poetry. I finished the volume today, and hours after completing the book, I learned that Oliver had died on this day three years ago. It seemed fitting that I was reflecting on her words today because her poems live on though she is gone.
One of my favorite poems in Felicity is "Moments," especially the opening lines,
"There are moments that cry out to be fulfilled.
Like, telling someone you love them."
Like, telling someone you love them."
There’s a sweet and poignant universality in her sentiment.
I also loved Oliver’s poem "Leaves and Blossoms Along the Way," with its advice:
"Try to find the right place for yourself.
If you can’t find it, at least dream of it."
If you can’t find it, at least dream of it."
It's advice we could all take to heart.
On Twitter today, I came across many tributes to Mary Oliver, and I read one lovely quote by her that touched me. Oliver was asked, "Why did you first turn to a creative art?" and she answered "Well, I think because with words, I could build a world I could live in. So I made a world out of words. And it was my salvation."
Purchase and read books by Mary Oliver:
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