An apt piece from one of Hun's favorite poets - Tony Hoagland.
“The Word” by Tony Hoagland
Down near the bottom
of the crossed-out list
of things you have to do today,
between “green thread”
and “broccoli,” you find
that you have penciled “sunlight.”
Resting on the page, the word
is beautiful. It touches you
as if you had a friend
and sunlight were a present
he had sent from someplace distant
as this morning—to cheer you up,
and to remind you that,
among your duties, pleasure
is a thing
that also needs accomplishing.
Do you remember?
that time and light are kinds
of love, and love
is no less practical
than a coffee grinder
or a safe spare tire?
Tomorrow you may be utterly
without a clue,
but today you get a telegram
from the heart in exile,
proclaiming that the kingdom
still exists,
the king and queen alive,
still speaking to their children,
—to any one among them
who can find the time
to sit out in the sun and listen.
--with thanks to Hun's Wanderings and Wonderings ( a blog - http://hunwanderings08.blogspot.com)
Below is a rewriting to help with memorization. --CS Lindsay
Down near the bottom of the crossed-out list of things
You have to do today,
Between “green thread” and “broccoli,”
You find that you have penciled “sunlight.”
Resting on the page, the word is beautiful.
It touches you as if you had a friend
And sunlight were a present he had sent
from someplace distant as this morning—to cheer you up,
And to remind you that, among your duties,
Pleasure is a thing that also needs accomplishing.
Do you remember? That time and light are kinds of love,
And love is no less practical than a coffee grinder or a safe spare tire?
Tomorrow you may be utterly
without a clue, but today you get a telegram
From the heart in exile, proclaiming that the kingdom
Still exists, the king and queen alive, still speaking to their children,
—to any one among them who can find the time
To sit out in the sun and listen.
